<A^ 


r 


LIE)  RARY 

OF   THL 

U  N  1  VLRS  ITY 

or    ILLI  NOIS 


B 

K147b 


Escape  of  Dr.  Kalley. 


p.  w-i. 


THE 


EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 


PEASANTS'    COTTAGE    IN    MADEIRA. 


BY   THE 

Rev.    W.    M.    BLACKBURN, 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 
No,  821  Chestnut  Street. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1860,  by 

JAMES  DUNLAP,  Treas. 

in  the  Clerk's  OflBce  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 

STE&EOTTPEI)   BT   WILUAM   W.   HARDING,   PHILADELPHIA. 


B 


PREFACE. 


The  work  of  the  gospel  in  Madeira  from  1838  to  Ibou,  uas 
been  called  "the  greatest  fact  of  Modern  Missions."  Its  his- 
tory shows  what  Komanists  can  do,  and  what  Bible-readers 
can  suffer  in  the  nineteenth  century.  It  proves  the  mighty 
power  of  an  open  Bible,  and  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God. 

The  author  of  this  little  volume  acknowledges  his  indehted- 

ness  to  several  friends  and  authors,  but  especially  to  the  Eev. 

A.  De  Mattos,  Pastor  of  the  Portuguese  Presbyterian  Churches 

in  Illinois,  to  a  little  volume  entitled,  "Facts  in  Madeira," 

and  to  the  "Memoirs  of  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Hewitson."     Much 

care  has  been  taken  to  present  a  correct  narrative.     It  is  part 

of  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  therefore  may 

very  properly  form  a  volume  for  the  Presbyterian  Board  of 

Publication.     We  may  feel  a  chord  in  our  hearts  touched  by 

the  term  of  reproach  cast  on  the  Bible-readers  of  Madeira — 

*'  the  Calvinists." 

W.  M.  B. 
Erie,  Pa. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGS 

Madeira — The  Purple  Island — Its  discovery — Colonized  by 
Portuguese — Vine  introduced — Funchal — The  people — Curious 
sights — Cottages — Old  fashioned  bottles — Ignorance — Jails — 
Famine — A  story — What  our  little  book  will  show — A  parable.       9 

CHAPTER  II. 

Dr.  Kalley — How  he  was  led  to  Madeira — "What  he  saw — 
Need  of  Bibles — Errors  in  religion — Healing  the  sick — Mode 
of  teaching  truth — The  Bible  by  itself — Schools — Vote  of 
thanks— Meetings  held — The  glad  tidings 19 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Bible  readers — New  discoveries — Bishop  wants  to  see  a 
Bible — False  charges — Bible  cursed — Readers  persecuted^ 
Schools  stopped — An  Edict — A  hasty  arrest — How  property 
was  lost — No  justice  in  courts — Flight  of  the  innocent — The 
wood-sawyer — Leaving  wealth  for  Christ's  sake — Threats — 
We'll  not  give  up  the  Bible 28 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Mrs.  Alves — Enemies  saw  her  light  shining — Imprisoned — 
Trial — Noble  answer — Severe  sentence — Death  had  no  terrors 

— Petition  to  the  queen — Release— Exile.- 41 

1*  (5) 


6  CONTEXTS. 

CnAPTER  V. 

PAOB 

The  Ret.  "W.  H.  HE-wiTSoy — Dr.  Kalley  threatened — "Will  not 
flee — Modern  Inquisition — Old  law  discovered — Dr.  Kalley  in 
prison — The  gospel  in  the  jail — Crowds  coming  to  hear  him — 
A  new  governor — Hints  toward  a  St.  Bartholemew's  day — 
Outrages — At  Lisbon  Dr.  Kalley  meets  Hewitson — Hewitson's 
youth — Studies — honours — Failure  of  health — Conversion — 
Read  a  "living  epistle" — Student  of  theology — His  missionary 
spirit — Travels — Call  to  Madeira — Ordained 47 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  tousg  Missiowary — Church  in  the  house  at  Madeira — 
Many  inquirers — A  communion,  ''the  doors  being  shut  for 
fear" — An  Apollos  found — The  carpenter — A  puzzled  priest — 
The  "Espirito  Santo" — Plenty  of  jails  in  Romish  countries — 
Jeronymo — The  Bible  a  cure  for  beggary — A  poor  cripple 
thinking  of  the  resurrection-body — The  timid  made  bold — The 
poor  cursed  by  the  priests — Elders  chosen — Dark  clouds — The 
night-feast  —  Hewitson  sick  —  Withered  flowers — A  Bible- 
class — Romish  anger — The  missionary  retires — Home  again...     61 

CHAPTER  VIL 

Lawless  vioLEycE — The  Rutherfords— A  meeting  on  Sabbath — 
Letter  from  Hewitson — Mob  about  the  house — Insults — Pleas 
in  vain — No  law  for  "  Calvinists" — An  assault  at  night — A 
lady's  entreaty — The  only  refuge — The  contrast — A  sick  lady 
in  danger — A  cool  consul — No  protection — Insults  to  Eng- 
land      76 

CHAPTER  VIIL 

Narrow  escape  of  Dr.  Kalley — The  plan  of  attack — Choos- 
ing the  Sabbath — Vain  appeals  for  protection — Dr.  Kalley's 
letters — Bolting  the  doors — Intent  to  kill — A  marvellous  escape 
— Friends  found — Violence — Sunday  guns — Dr.  Kalley  carried 
away  in  a  hammock — Almost  detected — Safe  on  a  ship — Other 
flights  for  life — Fiery  trials 92 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER  IX. 

PAOK 

The  William  op  Glasgow — Bibles  buried — Bible-readers  for- 
saking all — Refuge  on  ship-board — Prayers  and  hymns — Poor 
Mariasinha— Barbarities — The  sails  unfurled — Joy  and  bro- 
therly love — The  true  religion — Exiles  for  Trinidad 117 

CHAPTER  X. 

A  LOOK  BACK  AT  MADEIRA — Why  not  a  War  with  England? — 
Officers  deposed — No  trial  of  the  lawless — A  decree — A  bishop 
in  a  pet — A  wonderful  letter 131 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Arsenio  Nicos  Da  Silva — Two  brothers — The  priest  and  the 
merchant — Arsenio's  daughter — Disease — Dr.  Kalley  called — 
Gospel  taught — Da  Silva  learns  the  way  of  life — Is  persecuted 
— His  son-in-law  is  a  judge — Da  Silva's  flight 136 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Mr.  Hewitsok  in  Trinidad — Visits  Madeira  on  the  way — The 
exiles  in  Trinidad — How  support  themselves — Much  suflfering 
— Their  spiritual  condition — New  arrivals — Da  Silva  becomes 
pastor — Holding  up  both  hands — Pilgrims  and  strangers — Mr. 
Gonsalves  visits  them — Call  from  America 151 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Shepherd  dying  on  the  shore — Da  Silva's  health  fails — 
Comes  to  New  York — His  last  hours — Burial — Letter  to  his 
wife 166 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

An  onTLOOK  over  the  sea — Scattered  exiles — No  home  found 
— St.  Kitts — Essequibo — Plan  to  come  to  America 174 

CHAPTER  XV. 

A  FAREWELL  TO  THE  IsLES — The  finger  of  God — Arrivals — Letter 
from  Dr.  Kalley — Partings — Welcome  in  the  West — An  old 
woman — A  happy  death — A  noble  lady — Young  ladies — The 
exiles'  testimony 182 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

PA  OB 

Two  HOUSEHOLD  BANDS — The  Vieira  family — The  Vasconcellas.  193 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

A  PASTOR  FOR  THE  FLOCK — Hewitson's  last  labours  and  death — 
Rev.  A.  De  Mattos — Conclusion 208 


THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER    I. 


THE    PURPLE    ISLAND. 
**  The  people  that  sat  in  darkness  saw  a  great  light.* 

Out  of  the  ocean  rises  Madeira.  It  looms  up 
before  the  voyager,  rocky,  brown,  red,  and  purple, 
with  tinges  of  green  from  the  forests  and  vineyards, 
and  tints  of  snow  far  up  toward  the  blue  sky.  It 
appears  like  one  vast  rock,  grand  and  imposing,  in 
the  distance.  Coming  nearer,  under  the  mountain's 
frown,  the  traveller  finds  that  the  coasts  are  set  with 
lofty  cliffs,  many  of  them  more  than  a  thousand 
feet  high.  Above  these  rise  the  sharp  pinnacles, 
and  jagged  towers,  shading  the  groves  of  heath  and 
broom.  Coasting  around,  he  sees,  in  the  little  nooks 
where  the  cliffs  are  broken,  small  villages  with  white 
walls,  and  the  little  Roman  Catholic  chapels  up  at 
the  head  of  the  gorge.  There  are  the  homes  of  the 
villagers,  as  snug  and  as  quiet  as  the  nests  of  doves 
in  the  silent  grove. 

This  is  Madeira — Isle  of  Woods — or  Isle  of  red 
soil — or  Isle  of  the  colouring  purple.     It  is  not  far 

9 


10  THE    EXILES   OF    MADEIRA. 

from  Morocco,  and  is  six  hundred  miles  from  Spain, 
the  nearest  civilized  country.  It  is  sixty  miles 
long,  by  twenty  wide,  though  in  some  parts  it  is  not 
over  five  miles  from  one  coast  to  the  other.  Around 
it  lie  several  smaller  islands.  Before  the  Christian 
era  there  was  some  knowledge  of  this  group,  and  a 
scheme  was  proposed  to  make  money  there  by  col- 
lecting a  beautiful  purple  dye.  They  were  then 
called  the  Purple  Islands. 

About  four  hundred  years  ago,  Gonsalves  Zarco 
was  making  a  voyage  for  discovery  along  the 
western  coast  of  Africa.  He  was  overtaken  by  a 
violent  storm,  and  all  his  crew  expected  to  sink  in 
the  deeps.  They  gave  up  all  hope,  when  suddenly 
an  island  appeared,  and  they  made  for  its  shores. 
After  landing  they  called  it  Porto  Santo,  or  "  Holy 
Haven."  Here  a  settlement  of  Portuguese  was 
formed.  But  the  people  were  afraid  to  go  to  the 
larger  Island  of  Madeira.  Some  of  them  would 
venture  near  it,  but  it  looked  so  gloomy,  and  they 
heard  such  strange  sounds  coming  from  its  woods, 
that  they  imagined  it  was  the  abode  of  awful  giants 
and  terrific  creatures — a  land  of  darkness. 

Gonsalves,  however,  ventured  to  pay  a  visit  to 
the  awful  island.  The  men  on  his  vessel  became 
alarmed  as  they  came  nearer  the  shores,  and  thought 
they  saw  monstrous  giants  on  the  coast.  They 
begged  their  commander  not  to  expose  them  to 
death.  He  kept  on,  until  he  proved  to  them  that 
their  giants  were  only  craggy  rocks,  and  the  horrid 


THE    PURPLE    ISLAND.  11 

voices  they  heard  were  only  the  heatings  of  the 
waves  against  the  cliffs.  He  landed  at  a  place 
•which  he  named  the  *' Wolf's  Den."  The  shores 
were  thick  with  tangled  trees  and  vines.  He 
thought  that  men  might  live  on  an  island  where  so 
much  wood  was  growing. 

A  colony  from  Portugal  settled  on  the  island. 
They  cleared  the  land  by  setting  fire  to  the  forests, 
and  thus  they  robbed  it  of  its  natural  beauty.  It 
is  said  that  these  fires  kept  burning  for  seven  years, 
and  left  scarcely  a  tree  on  the  island.  This  was 
wrong,  but  not  so  wicked  as  the  fires  of  persecution 
kindled  four  hundred  years  afterward,  to  drive  away 
the  Bible-readers. 

A  few  slips  of  the  grape-vine  were  brought  from 
the  Isle  of  Cyprus  and  planted  in  Madeira.  They 
grew,  and  from  them  have  grown  the  celebrated 
vineyards  of  the  Isle  of  Wines.  The  wealth  of 
Madeira  is  chiefly  derived  from  its  vineyards. 

The  traveller,  making  port  on  the  south  side  of 
the  island,  sees  the  Loo-Rock,  grand  and  majestic 
like  a  king  on  his  throne,  and  the  white  pebbly 
beach  lies  at  his  feet  like  the  king's  robe  spread 
on  the  floor.  On  this  beach  is  the  chief  city, 
Funchal.  It  looks  white  and  brilliant,  house  above 
house,  Mid  street  above  street,  climbing  up  the 
mountain  side  ;  and  outside  the  city,  still  on  higher 
terraces,  are  the  cottages  and  ''quintas"  or  coun- 
try residences.  Yet  higher  up  is  the  church  of 
"Our  Lady  of  the   Mount."     One  would  suppose 


12  THE   EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

that  if  the  "Lady"  were  very  kind,  she  would  have 
given  a  hint  to  put  her  church  lower  down  the  hill, 
so  that  some  body  might  get  to  the  door  with  a 
little  breath  left  in  the  lungs.  It  must  be  hard 
penance  to  go  up  there  to  worship. 

Were  you  to  land  at  this  harbour,  you  would  be 
met  by  many  persons,  all  bowing  to  you,  and  some 
of  them  besro-ing  of  vou.  Off  would  go  their  tunnel- 
shaped  hats,  and  before  you  some  poor  cripple  would 
thrust  himself,  some  boy  with  one  arm,  some  woman 
with  a  pale,  soiled  baby,  or  some  black-eyed  little 
girl  hoping  for  an  alms. 

You  would  think  the  streets  were  ail  narrowed 
down  to  lanes  and  alleys.  If  you  wished  to  ride, 
no  fine  horses  and  carriages  would  stand  waiting, 
but  you  would  take  a  summer  sleigh-ride.  "  Two 
pleasant  chubby  little  oxen"  are  harnessed  to  a  thick 
plank  with  low  runners  to  it,  and  away  they  go 
grating  along  over  the  pebbles  with  which  the  streets 
are  paved.  It  would  be  very  much  like  riding  on 
one  of  the  "scrapers"  which  we  see  used  in  making 
turnpikes. 

Palanquins  are  used  to  carry  persons  from  one 
place  to  another.  Some  of  the  wealthy  class  have 
very  fine  sledges  and  palanquins  cushioned  and 
covered  with  silk.  A  pony  would  be  your  best 
vehicle  if  you  were  going  up  the  mountains.  Those 
who  wish  to  go  up  hill  for  eighteen  miles  may  stand 
by  the  Great  Curral,  or  what  seems  to  have  been 
an   enormous   crater.     The   visitor  looks  down  six 


THE    PURPLE    ISLAND. 


13 


thousand  feet,  toward  the  earth's  centre,  and  even 
there  sees  the  little  houses  and  the  chapel  of  some 
village  which  is  two  thousand  feet  above  the  sea. 

In  the  city  there  are  many  fine  houses,  but  there 
are  more  one  story  cottages  with  stone  walls,  stone 
floors,  stone  seats,  thatched  roofs,  and  generally  a 
good  coat  of  whitewash  on  the  outside. 

The  stranger  who  never  saw  any  old  fashioned 
bottles  is  amused  to  see  the  sheep-skins  filled  with 
wine,  and  carried  on  the  shoulders   of  peasants   to 


the  market.     Of  course  they  know  better  than  to 
put  "  new  wine  into  old  bottles."     It  might  not  be 
2 


14 


THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 


very  pleasing  to  a  wine -bibber  to  look  on  tbe  men 
in  their  bare  feet  treading  the  grapes  in  the  press, 
especially  in  a  warm,  sweating  day. 


For  many  centuries  there  was  deep  mental  dark- 
ness on  the  minds  of  the  people  thicker  than  that 
which  alarmed  the  crew  of  Gonsalves.  The  Roman 
Catholic  religion  did  not  make  them  intelligent. 
They  went  to  the  little  chapels,  and  heard  mass,  or 
made  confession,  and  thought  these  would  take 
them  to  heaven.  Few  of  them  could  read,  and 
those  who  could  read  knew  nothing  of  the  true 
Bible.     Still  fewer    could  write.     This  shows  ih^t 


TUE    PURPLE    ISLAND.  15 

the  Bible-readers  of  modern  times  were  among  the 
most  intelligent  classes. 

There  were  plenty  of  jails  where  there  were  no 
school-houses.  Persons  who  had  committed  smaller 
crimes  were  put  in  jail,  to  wait  until  their  cases  could 
be  tried  in  Lisbon.  This  kept  them  in  prison  many 
years.  Their  expenses  were  to  be  paid  by  those 
who  complained  against  them.  Hence  accusers 
became  rare,  for  they  did  not  like  to  pay  for  their 
own  accusations.  This  was  not  done  however  with 
the  Bible-readers,  for  they  had  to  pay  for  their  own 
support  in  prison.  There  were  plenty  of  accusers 
when  the  word  of  God  began  to  be  read  by  the 
more  honest  people. 

A  few  years  ago  the  vineyards  began  to  fail.  The 
traveller  could  no  longer  pass  along  under  the 
shadow  of  the  vines,  and  have  rich  clusters  of  grapes 
hanging  over  his  path.  The  fruit  was  cut  off.  It 
brought  a  famine  on  the  island.  The  Romanists 
laid  all  this  to  the  Bible-readers  !  They  said  it  was 
a  curse  on  the  people  for  allowing  such  men  as  Dr. 
Kalley  and  Mr.  Hewitson  to  come  among  them  and 
establish  schools,  read  the  word  of  God,  and  have 
meetings  for  prayer  and  praise. 

The  Christians  of  the  United  States  took  a  deep 
interest  in  the  famishing  people  of  Madeira.  They 
sent  them  the  "  finest  of  the  wheat,"  and  induced 
them  to  cultivate  such  eatables  as  we  raise  in  our 
fields  and  gardens.  And  notice,  the  poor  exiles 
sent  liberally  of  their  "good  things"   to  the  very 


16  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

persecutors  who  had  driven  them  from  home.     This 
was  returning  good  for  evil. 

The  famine  made  many  people  poor.  The  women 
of  the  island,  who  have  always  done  most  of  the 
labour,  began  to  turn  their  skill  to  good  account. 
They  made  fancy  articles  of  a  very  superior  quality, 
such  as  laces,  edgings,  paper-cutters,  card-cases, 
work-boxes,  and  writing-desks.  They  took  the 
dark  Til-wood  of  the  old  wine-presses,  and  made 
beautiful  articles  for  foreign  parlours. 

A  little  romantic  story  may  point  the  close  of 
this  chapter : 

Some  years  ago,  a  peasant  girl  was  accustomed 
to  come  down  the  mountain,  barefooted  but  light- 
hearted,  with  a  bundle  of  small  wood,  which  she 
sold  in  the  town.  Her  pleasant  face  and  honest 
manner  attracted  the  notice  of  a  wealthy  gentleman, 
who  gave  her  a  home  in  his  house.  She  became 
the  lady  of  the  mansion,  the  wife  of  her  protector. 
After  his  death,  she  became  the  wife  of  a  young 
lawyer  of  rising  fame  and  excellent  talents.  He 
rose  to  be  the  governorof  the  island,  and  she  filled  her 
high  position  with  elegance  and  courtly  grace.  The 
most  polite  people  admired  her  and  thought  that  she 
could  not  be  excelled.  No  doubt  this  may  seem 
quite  strange. 

But  our  little  book  will  show  something  far  more 
strange.  It  is  this :  The  Lord  can  take  a  poor, 
ignorant  peasant  and  make  him  a  child  of  God. 
He    did  it  in  Madeii'a.     He  can  take  a   crippled 


THE    PURPLE    ISLAND.  17 

beggar  and  make  him  a  bright  ornament  in  his 
kingdom,  and  a  labourer  in  his  vineyard.  He  did  it 
with  poor  Jeronymo.  He  can  take  a  rich  lady  and 
make  her  willing  to  suffer  in  the  meanest  prisons, 
and  cause  her  to  leave  a  home  of  luxury,  to  be  very 
happy  in  a  little  narrow  room  on  a  foreign  island 
where  she  had  not  as  much  to  eat  as  the  bare-footed 
peasant  giid  on  the  cold  mountain.  He  did  it  with 
Mrs.  Yieira  and  Mrs.  Alves.  AVe  have  interwoven 
many  brief  histories  which  show  how  much  true 
Christians  can  endure  gladly  for  Christ's  sake,  and 
how  happy  the  Lord  can  make  his  suffering  children. 
When  they  enter  the  glorious  mansions  of  eternal 
rest,  it  will  be  said  of  them,  '•  These  are  they  which 
came  out  of  great  tribulation." 

The  Lord  had  a  vineyard  on  beautiful  Madeira. 
On  it  shined  the  ^'  Sun  of  righteousness."  On  it 
fell  the  showers  of  grace  and  the  gentle  dews  of 
Ilermon.  The  vines  grew  full  of  goodly  clusters. 
The  frosts  came  and  ripened  them.  The  persecu- 
tors trod  the  grapes  in  the  wine-press  of  suffering, 
and  the  rich  wine  of  love  and  patience  was  wrung 
out  of  pious  hearts.  Enemies  began  to  pull  up  the 
Lord's  vines,  "so  that  they  might  never  bear  any 
more  fruit.  They  tore  them  up  rudely,  threw  them 
into  the  desert,  and  cast  them  into  the  seas.  But 
the  Master  took  the  torn  vines  and  transplanted 
them  in  another  large  and  rich  vineyard.  Some  of 
them  he  planted  in  heaven.  The  grapes  of  Eshcol 
were  not  richer  thjm  the  goodly  clusters  ^Nhich  these 
2* 


18  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

vines  bore  for  their  Lord.  He  was  saying  to  them 
■when  they  were  broken  and  bleeding,  "  Herein  is 
my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit." 

Our  little  book  "will  tell  the  meaning  of  this 
parable.  It  will  not  tell  of  such  bloody  scenes  as 
are  written  in  the  history  of  the  Waldenses  or  the 
Huguenots,  or  the  Hollanders,  or  the  martyrs  of 
Smithfield,  and  the  Tolbooth  of  Scotland.  It  will 
not  tell  of  the  wheel,  the  stake,  the  theatre  of  wild 
beasts,  nor  the  trap-door  of  the  Inquisition.  It  is 
not  such  a  record  of  murders  as  Fox's  Book  of 
Martyrs.  But  it  shows  that  the  "man  of  sin"  is 
just  the  same  that  he  was  in  the  olden  days  when 
Rome  put  to  death  thousands  of  Christians  in  ways 
too  horrible  to  be  described ;  and  that  now,  in  this 
time  of  light  and  mercy,  he  is  as  cruel  toward  Bible- 
readers  and  praying  believers  as  he  dares  to  be. 
There  was  cruelty  enough,  and  blood  enough  shed, 
to  entitle  Madeira  to  the  old  name  of  the  Purple 
Island. 


FIRST    GOSPEL   LABOURS    IN    MADEIRA.  19 


CHAPTER    II. 

FIRST    GOSPEL    LABOURS    IX    MADEIRA. 

Robert  R.  Kalley  was  a  young  physician  in 
Scotland,  lie  felt  it  his  duty  to  go  as  a  missionary  to 
China,  and  was  ordained  by  the  Free  Church  to 
preach  the  gospel.  In  1838  he  and  his  wife  left 
their  home  to  go  to  China. 

On  the  voyage  Mrs.  Kalley  was  smitten  with  dis- 
ease. Her  friends  thought  she  could  not  live  to 
reach  China.  There  was  no  vessel  to  carry  them 
back  to  Scotland,  and  so  they  turned  aside  to  visit 
Madeira.  There  were  then  many  English  residents 
on  the  island.  There  was  a  Scottish  church  in  the 
chief  city. 

Dr.  Kalley  thought,  that  while  hindered  from 
labouring  in  one  field,  he  should  do  all  that  he  could 
in  another,  just  as  the  Apostle  did,  when  prevented 
from  going  to  Italy.  He  knew  not  a  word  of  the 
Portuguese  language.  In  a  few  hours  after  he 
landed  he  began  his  task  in  the  most  practical  way. 
He  rushed  out  of  his  dark  room,  entered  a  store  and 
asked  for  a  candle.  No  one  understood  him.  He 
pointed  to  a  candle,  and  asked  the  Portuguese  name 


20  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

for  it.  He  learned  what  to  say  -when  he  wanted  a 
candle.  In  this  way  he  learned  word  after  word. 
No  doubt  he  learned  much  from  the  English  residents 
who  spoke  the  language.  Probably  too  he  had  other 
teachers. 

He  looked  about  on  the  people  and  pitied  their 
ignorance  and  blindness,  just  as  Paul  did  in  Athens. 
For  centuries  they  had  been  denied  the  use  of  the 
Bible.  The  Romish  priests  may  have  had  a  few 
Bibles,  but  they  would  not  let  the  people  have  them. 
It  was  a  sin  for  any  one  to  search  the  Scriptures  for 
himself.  Many  of  the  islanders  had  never  seen  a 
Bible,  nor  known  there  was  such  a  book. 

Dr.  Kalley  says — "I  met  with  few  of  them  who 
had  ever  seen  a  Bible,  or  seemed  to  know  that  the 
New  Testament  was  written  by  men  who  went  about 
with  the  Lord  Jesus,  when  he  dwelt  on  the  earth — 
who  saw  his  miracles,  heard  his  words,  gazed  upon 
him  as  he  went  up  to  heaven,  and  described  what 
they  knew  by  the  testimony  of  their  own  senses. 
When  one  part  of  it  was  shown  to  them  as  the  work 
of  Peter,  another  as  that  of  John,  and  a  third  as 
that  of  Matthew,  some  doubted  and  wanted  proofs, 
others  listened  with  eager  interest,  while  a  portion 
of  it  was  read  to  them  as  a  specimen  of  its  con- 
tents." 

None  of  them  had  in  their  possession  a  copy  of 
the  Scriptures.  A  long  time  since  a  translation  had 
been  made  of  the  Bible  into  the  Portuguese  by 
Antonio  Pereira,  a  Romish  priest.     This  had  been 


FIRST   GOSPEL    LABOURS    IN    MADEIRA.  21 

sanctioned  by  the  Queen  and  the  Patriarch  of  Por- 
tugal. Eighty  volumes  of  these  are  said  to  have 
been  sent  to  Madeira  free  of  duty  for  the  use  of  the 
priests  and  a  few  government  schools  that  were 
formed  on  the  island. 

The  people  were  Roman  Catholics.  They  believed 
in  the  Pope,  and  they  worshipped  the  Virgin  Mary. 
Mary,  whom  we  believe  to  be  a  saint  in  heaven, 
would  have  been  better  pleased,  if  they  had  read  the 
-words  of  Jesus,  and  prayed  in  his  name,  as  he  taught 
us  all  to  do.  They  had  images  in  their  houses  and 
churches.  They  gave  money  to  priests  for  masses, 
and  for  saying  prayers  to  release  their  friends  from 
purgatory.  There  is  no  such  place  as  purgatory, 
but  they  supposed  there  was.  They  confessed  their 
sins  to  the  priests,  and  bought  their  pardons  with 
money.  They  sometimes  went  about  wdth  a  staff 
which  had  a  little  image  of  a  pigeon  on  the  top  of 
it,  and  a  red  cloth  tied  to  it,  asking  men  to  worship 
it,  as  the  Holy  Ghost !  If  men  would  not  bow  to 
the  little  image  of  Christ  on  the  cross,  they  were 
regarded  as  darinor  infidels. 

Dr.  Kalley  did  not  attack  the  errors  of  Romanism 
at  first,  by  trying  to  show  the  people  how  foolish 
and  useless  many  of  their  services  and  doctrines 
"were.  He  took  the  better  plan.  He  tried  to  get 
the  people  to  read  the  word  of  God.  Many  of 
them  heard  of  the  wonderful  book,  and  were  anxious 
to  see  it.  Many  of  them  could  say  as  Luther  did,  "Oh 
that  God  would  give  me  such  a  book  for  myself!" 


22  THE    EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

Our  Lord  not  only  taught  those  who  came  to  hear 
his  words,  but   also  healed   the   sick,  the  lame,  the 
blind.     Dr.  Kalley  resolved  to  do  the  same  as  far 
as  he  could.     He  early  prepared  a  large  hospital, 
and  offered  to  give  medicine  to  all  who  would  come. 
It  was  as  well  furnished  with  comforts  for  the  poor 
and  the  infirm  as  his  means  would  allow.     He  had 
his  office  in  which  he   examined  his  patients,  and 
another  room  for  his  medicines  in  the  same  building. 
All  who  came  for  medical  advice  were   required  to 
be  at  the  hospital  by  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
or  he  could  not  attend  to  them  on  that  day.     Often 
there  were  fifty  or  more  persons  at  that  hour  wait- 
ing for  Dr.  Kalley.     When  he  entered  the  hospital 
they  were  assembled  together.     His  first  business 
was  to  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  and  then  explain 
it  to  them.     Thus  he  began  his  daily  work  by  call- 
ing their  attention  to  the  word  of  God.     After  this 
he  distributed  tickets  among  them.     These  tickets 
were  simply  numbered  one,  two,   three,  &c.  up  to 
the  number  of  applicants.     He  then  went  into  his 
office,  and  each  one  came  as  his  number  was  called. 
When  he  had  ascertained  the  disease  of  the  patient, 
he  wrote  his  prescription,  and  it  was  taken  to  the 
drug  department,  and  the  medicine  was  obtained. 

He  became  known  as  an  excellent  physician,  and 
was  often  called  to  visit  the  sick  at  their  homes. 
He,  in  his  kind  manner,  sought  to  do  more  than 
heal  the  body.  He  examined  the  patient,  and  then 
said  that  he  could  not  give  health  ;  God  alone  could 


FIRST    GOSPEL    LABOURS    IN    MADEIRA.  23 

raise  up  tlie  sick.  Often  did  he  kneel  by  the  bed-side 
and  ask  God  to  make  him  wise  in  giving  the  proper 
remedy,  and  make  it  the  means  of  restoring  health. 

When  he  had  given  the  medicine,  he  would  take 
the  patient  by  the  hand  and  say,  "  Now  you  must 
pray  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  he  is  the  great 
Physician,  and  can  heal  the  sick."  He  then  had 
an  opportunity  of  telling  of  the  wondrous  works  of 
the  Saviour.  Sometimes  he  would  say  to  the  sick, 
"You  have  another  disease  of  which  I  have  not 
spoken,  and  it  is  a  very  bad  disease." 

"  What  is  it,  doctor  ?"  the  sick  would  anxiously 
inquire. 

"  It  is  a  very  fatal  disease,  and  if  not  cured  it 
will  ruin  you.  But  bad  as  it  is,  there  is  a  remedy 
for  it." 

"  But  what  is  it,  doctor  ?" 

"  I  will  tell  you.  It  is  not  a  disease  of  the  body, 
but  of  the  soul.  It  is  sin.  We  are  all  sinners,  and 
our  sins  must  be  pardoned,  or  our  souls  must  perish 
for  ever.  I  have  a  book  with  me  called  The  Bible, 
that  will  teach  you  how  Jesus  Christ  came  into  this 
world,  and  shed  his  blood  and  died,  that  sinners 
might  be  saved." 

This  stranore  news  often  led  the  sick  to  wish  for 
the  wonderful  book,  and  to  be  anxious  to  learn 
more  of  the  Saviour.  The  Bible  was  often  read  in 
the  sick  room,  and  one  person  would  tell  another  the 
glad  tidings. 

Dr.  Kalley  left  the  Bible  to  tell  its  own  truths  as 


24  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

much  as  possible.  Surely  none  could  reasonably 
object  to  this.  When  any  persons  came  to  him  with 
passages  they  could  not  understand,  he  showed 
them  other  verses  in  the  Bible,  which  would  ex- 
plain the  meaning.  He  wanted  the  word  of  God  to 
do  the  work.  He  thus  taught  them  how  to  prove 
the  newly  learned  doctrines  by  the  Scriptures. 
Some  of  the  Bible-readers  went  to  the  priests,  but 
could  get  no  light,  and  were  rudely  told  to  burn  or 
throw  away  the  book.  The  readers  often  knew  more 
than  the  priests. 

A  school  was  soon  established.  The  Bible  was 
the  first  book  in  which  the  people  were  taught  to 
read  English.  They  learned  very  rapidly,  so 
anxious  were  they  to  know  what  was  in  the  "  good 
book."  Portuguese  Bibles  were  distributed.  One 
of  the  visitors  of  the  school  said :  "  It  is,  I  believe, 
no  exaggeration  to  say,  that  lumdreds  of  the  j)eo2de^ 
who  before  were  almost  as  ignorant  as  the  beasts 
they  drove,  are  now  intelligent  readers  of  the 
Bible." 

Other  schools  were  established  on  the  island,  at 
different  points,  not  for  religious  instructions  alone, 
but  for  teaching  the  common  branches  of  learning. 
He  paid  the  teachers  from  his  own  purse,  and 
furnished  books  for  the  scholars.  In  some  of  these 
schools  the  teachers  were  Romanists,  and  the  only 
books  were  a  small  Romish  primer,  and  a  New 
Testament  translated  by  a  Romish  priest.     Surely 


FIRST   '^  'CPEL   LABOURS   IN    MADEIRA.  25 

there  ought  not  to  have  heen  any  objections  to  this, 
by  the  Romanists. 

It  often  happens  that  what  costs  nothing  is  worth 
nothing,  but  the  people  did  not  think  so  in  this  case. 
The  schools  became  very  popular.  They  prospered 
beyond  the  expectations  of  their  founder.  Eight 
hundred  men  and  women  were  soon  attending  these 
schools,  and,  how  many  children  were  with  them, 
we  cannot  tell.  The  private  houses  of  some  of  the 
people  were  turned  into  school-rooms,  and  filled 
with  scholars.  Never  had  there  been  so  much  study, 
so  much  improvement  in  mind  and  morals,  nor  so 
much  happiness  in  Madeira. 

The  people  were  amazed  at  the  benevolence  of 
Dr.  Kalley.  He  gained  their  hearts.  The  children 
called  him  "  the  good  man."  They  were  learning 
to  sing  for  joy.  He  saw  the  harvest  growing  ripe. 
The  chief  men  in  Funchal  saw  what  a  great  work 
was  set  on  foot.  They  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
Dr.  Kalley  for  his  acts  of  benevolence  in  establish- 
ing a  hospital  for  the  poor  and  the  sick,  and  schools 
for  the  ignorant  people. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  adult  schools  were 
generally  held  in  the  evening.  The  number  who 
were  thus  taught  to  read  the  Bible,  for  themselves, 
was  over  one  thousand  ;  and  as  many  as  twenty-five 
hundred  adults  had  sought  to  grow  wiser  and  better 
by  attending  these  evening  schools. 

Meetings  were  held  as  early  as  1842,  in  different 

places.     Hundreds  came  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 
3 


26  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

When  Dr.  Kalley  could  not  preacli  to  them,  some 
one  stood  up,  like  Ezra  in  old  times,  and  read  the 
"  Book  of  the  Law."  Ezra  read  almost  half  a  day, 
and  still  the  people  were  not  wearied.  Nor  were 
these  islanders  tired  of  long  readings  and  long 
sermons.  They  were  hungry  for  the  word.  If  one 
had  preached,  as  Paul  did,  till  midnight,  they  would 
have  listened  gladly,  and  I  much  doubt  whether  any 
Eutychus  would  have  gone  to  sleep  and  fallen  out 
of  a  window.  The  word  was  "sweeter  than  honey 
and  the  honey-comb." 

Many  walked  ten  or  twelve  hours  to  attend  a 
meeting.  They  climbed  over  mountains  8000  feet 
high.  And  while  they  stood  and  heard  of  Christ 
and  his  great  love,  they  looked  at  the  reader  or  the 
preacher  with  solemn  wonder,  or  raised  the  hand  to 
brush  away  the  starting  tear.  Never  had  they 
heard  these  glad  tidings  from  their  priests,  and 
perhaps  the  "  Padre"  who  had  hailed  and  threatened 
them  as  they  passed  by  the  chapel  of  '*  Our  Lady 
of  the  Mount,"  knew  very  little  of  the  gospel  him- 
self. 

For  several  months  there  were  not  fewer  than 
one  thousand  persons  attending  these  meetings  in 
the  open  air,  every  Sabbath.  Often  there  were  two 
or  three  thousand,  and  once  they  were  reckoned  at 
five  thousand.  Many  of  these  meetings  were  held 
on  the  mountain  side,  like  that  on  which  the  Saviour 
sat,  and  uttered  the  great  blessings  of  the  sermon  on 
the  mount.     A  few  hymns  were  sung  to  such  good 


FIRST   GOSPEL   LABOURS   IN   MADEIRA.  27 

old  tunes  as  the  Portuguese  Hymn,  and  Old  Hun- 
dred. Few  were  there  who  did  not  "join  in  the  song 
and  love  the  praise." 

The  people  began  to  talk  about  the  "glad  news" 
while  walking  along  the  roads  or  resting  in  the  fields. 
Under  many  a  vine  a  little  group  was  gathered  to 
read  or  hear  the  story  of  the  Cross.  In  many  a 
vineyard  songs  were  sung,  such  as  never  before 
echoed  from  Madeira's  rugged  cliffs. 

Very  little  seed  fell  by  the  way-side,  to  be  picked 
up  by  the  fowls  of  the  air ;  very  little  fell  among 
thorns,  to  be  choked  and  destroyed ;  very  little  in 
stony  places,  to  grow  only  for  a  few  days ;  almost 
all  the  good  seed  fell  in  good  ground,  and  was  bring- 
ing forth  fruit  an  hundred  fold. 


28  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    BIBLE    READERS. 

People  who  love  to  hear  the  truth  will  always 
want  to  read  it.  This  was  true  of  those  islanders 
who  walked  so  many  miles,  and  climbed  such  high 
mountains,  to  hear  the  Bible  read.  This  holy  book 
■was  offered  them  and  they  gladly  took  it,  and  began 
to  read  it  as  the  noble  Bereans.  Protestants  always 
urge  every  man,  woman,  and  child  to  "  search  the 
Scriptures,"  as  the  Saviour  told  us  to  do. 

Some  of  these  islanders  read  the  Bible  for  several 
days,  and  did  not  think  how  it  condemned  popery. 
They  perhaps  thought  they  would  soon  find  some- 
thing about  mass,  penance,  purgatory,  and  priestly 
confession,  but  they  could  find  nothing  of  the  kind. 
They  could  see  how  useless  and  foolish  such  doctrines 
were.  They  could  see  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for 
sinners — "once  for  all" — and  hence  there  was  no 
need  of  mass.  They  read  the  words,  "  Confess  your 
faults  one  to  another ;"  and  then  thought  thus, 
"Now  if  that  means  that  we  should  confess  to  the 
priest,  he  also  should  confess  to  us  ;  and  therefore 
it  does  not  mean  either." 


THE  BIBLE   READERS.  29 

More  than  one  thousand  persons  were  reading  the 
Bible.  They  carried  it  home.  They  talked  to 
their  neighbours  about  it.  They  found  out  how 
they  had  been  cheated,  and  how  falsely  they  had 
been  taught.  But  they  learned  to  love  their  ene- 
mies. They  did  not  abuse  nor  injure  the  priests. 
They  did  not  go  and  break  down  altars  nor  burn 
clmrches.  They  prayed  that  God  would  convert  all 
the  people. 

The  Romanists  at  first  pretended  that  they  were 
very  willing  for  the  people  to  have  the  Bible.  0 
yes  I  all  they  wish  is  to  keep  them  from  having  un- 
sound and  altered  Bibles  !  Thus  they  pretended 
at  Madeira.  In  1840  the  Bishop  said  that  he  would 
be  glad  to  see  a  copy  of  the  Bible  which  the  people 
were  so  eagerly  reading.  One  was  soon  sent  to  him. 
He  put  it  into  the  hands  of  some  examiners.  They 
searched  it.  Two  years  after,  they  reported  that 
there  was  scarcely  a  chapter  or  verse,  but  had  been 
changed  and  corrupted.  This  was  without  a  shadow 
of  truth.  Dr.  Kalley  had  the  copies  he  circulated, 
very  carefully  compared  with  the  version  which  the 
Romanists  pretended  to  sanction,  and  the  result 
proved  that  the  Bishop  had  only  condemned  him- 
self. Certified  comparisons  were  posted  up  in  the 
streets,  that  people  might  see  how  unjust  the  Bishop 
was.  A  royal  mandate  arrived  from  Lisbon  giving 
full  sanction  to  the  very  edition  which  Dr.  K.  was 
circulating.  This  ought  to  have  made  the  Bishop 
3* 


30  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

careful  lest  he  "  be  found  fighting  against  God." 
Bat  it  did  not.     He  raged. 

The  Bishop  pronounced  a  curse  on  the  Bible,  and 
on  all  who  should  read  it.  The  teachers  under  Dr. 
Kallej  were  warned  "  not  to  teach  any  living  being  !" 
If  they  did,  they  should  be  arrested  ;  and  after  such 
an  arrest  there  was  little  chance  of  liberty  or  life. 

In  1843,  a  severe  persecution  began  against  all 
the  Bible-readers.  If  the  people  should  read  it, 
they  would  be  certain  to  renounce  popery.  The 
Priests  called  it  "  a  book  from  hell  I"  Its  readers 
knew  it  was  a  book  from  heaven.  How  it  pained 
their  hearts  to  hear  it  proclaimed  that  '*  the  Bible 
should  be  burned  !"  One  spring  day  two  converts 
came  to  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Funchal,  and 
sat  down  at  the  Lord's  table.  This  was  only  re- 
nouncing Romanism.  It  required  boldness  to  do  it. 
The  Bishop  heard  of  it  and  cursed  them,  I  suppose, 
"by  bell,  book,  and  candle."  Nor  were  these  idle 
threats.  Persons  were  forbid  to  even  touch 
them.  "  Let  none  give  them  fire,  water,  bread,  or 
anything  that  may  be  necessary  to  them  for  their 
support.  Let  none  pay  them  their  debts."  No 
Bible-readers  would  ever  be  so  cruel  as  this  ! 

One  officer  went  to  a  school,  which  the  English 
people  supported  by  their  charities,  and  took  away 
thirty  Bibles,  with  all  the  Testaments  he  could  find. 
A  judge  went,  with  some  officers,  to  the  jail,  and 
searched  the  boxes  of  the  prisoners  for  Bibles. 
They  took  away  every  one  they  could  lay  hands  on, 


THE    DIBLE    READERS.  31 

and  probably  burne<l  tliem.  But  these  readers 
were  ready  to  say,  "  We'll  not  give  up  the  Bible." 
They  were  cast  into  the  worst  prisons  with  the  most 
wicked  men,  who  annoyed  them  day  and  night  by 
singing  the  vilest  songs,  while  they  were  not  allowed 
to  sing  a  hymn  of  praise  to  God.  One  of  the  jails 
was  near  the  cathedral,  and  the  Romanists  in  pass- 
ing by  the  Bible-readers,  would  spit  in  their  faces, 
while  these  converts  would  show  a  christian  spirit 
by  praying  for  their  enemies.  On  one  prison  door 
was  written,  ^'  No  reading  and  no  singing  of  the 
Bible  here!" 

Of  course  the  schools  must  be  stopped  !  The 
church  of  Rome  had,  certainly,  a  good  chance  in 
Madeira  to  show  whether  she  was  the  friend  of  ed- 
ucation. And  she  did  show  her  regard  for  the  best 
schools  ever  sustained  on  the  island,  by  aiming  a 
heavy  blow  at  all  the  teachers.  It  is  not  often  that 
public  documents  make  popular  reading,  but  here 
is  a  gem  which  must  not  be  lost.  It  shows  Rome's 
friendship  for  education.  It  is  an  order  sent  to  the 
overseers  in  every  parish  : 

"  Sir  : —  On  the  receipt  of  this,  you  will  summon 
to  your  presence,  the  teachers  male  and  female  of 
all  the  schools  established  and  supported  by  Dr. 
Kalley,  existing  in  your  parish  ;  and  in  the  presence 
of  two  witnesses,  charge  them  henceforth  not  to  teach 
any  living  being.  *     If,  after  being  duly  notified,  any 

**  *  Compare  Acts  iv.  16-18  ;  where  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  attempted 
to  silence  the  Apostles  :     What  shall  we  do  to  these  men?  for  that 


82  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

of  them  should  continue  to  teach,  you  can  immedi- 
ately send  them  to  this  administration  in  charge  of 
two  officers  of  police.  You  will  cause  this  order  to 
be  faithfully  executed,  and  report  the  result  by 
Monday  next,  giving  the  names  of  all  ■vvho  have 
been  notified.     God  save  you."  [Signed.) 

In  several  personal  sketches  we  will  show  how 
these  teachers  were  treated.  One  case  we  now 
cite.  An  intelligent  man,  after  sufi"ering  many  evils 
from  the  priests,  taught  an  evening  school  in  a  part 
of  the  island.  Not  one  word  had  he  said  to  injure 
the  government.  He  w^as  teaching  the  people  how 
to  be  well  governed.  They  were  improving  in 
morals  and  industry.  But  the  school  must  be 
stopped.  Whether  the  above  order  was  read  to  him 
or  not,  is  not  known.  But  there  was  an  unjust  way 
to  take  him,  when  there  was  a  wicked  will. 

*'  One  night,  during  the  hours  of  instruction,  a 
party  of  men,  led  by  the  Church  beadle,  came  to 
the  school  with  a  fictitious  warrant,  for  the  appre- 
hension of  the  teacher.  But  as  it  was  not  issued  by 
a  legal  authority,  and  it  was  brought  moreover  at 
an  illegal  hour,  the  teacher  most  properly  refused 

indeed  a  notable  miracle  hath  been  done  by  thein  is  manifest  to  all 
them  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem,  and  we  cannot  deny  it.  But  that  it 
spread  no  further  among  the  people,  let  us  straitly  threaten  them, 
that  they  speak  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name.  And  they 
called  them,  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all,  nor  teach  in 
the  name  of  Jesus.  But  Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto 
them.  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you 
more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye.  For  we  cannot  but  speak  the  things 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard." 


THE    BIBLE    READERS.  33 

to  obey  it.  His  scholars  took  part  with  him.  !Many 
of  their  relations  and  friends  collected  ;  and  the 
bearers  of  the  illegal  warrant  were  obliged  to  with- 
draw without  the  teacher,  but  also,  it  must  be  added, 
without  having  been  subjected  to  the  slightest 
violence. 

"  The  conduct  of  the  scholars  was  represented  as 
*  sedition  and  resistance  of  justice,'  and  the  public 
prosecutor  denounced  them  as  Miguelites,*  ledonby 
Dr.  Kallej !  On  that  day  week  the  judge  and 
public  prosecutor,  with  a  notary,  and  about  sixty 
soldiers  proceeded  at  night  to  the  Lombo  das  Fayas. 
The  houses  of  the  scholars,  chiefly  Bible-readers, 
were  broken  open — thirty  men  and  women  were 
taken  prisoners — most  of  them  were  bound — many 
of  them  were  beaten,  and  some  of  them  very  severely 
— and  their  houses  were  given  up  to  be  sacked  by 
the  soldiers,  who  committed  the  most  horrible  atro- 
cities." 

They  were  put  in  prison,  denied  the  liberty  to 
read  the  word  of  God,  and  driven  to  mass  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet.  For  nearly  two  years  they 
lay  pining  in  the  jail,  supported  only  by  kind  English 
friends  who  learned  their  starving  condition  and 
visited  them.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  English 
residents  many  deaths  would  have  occurred  by  star- 
vation in  the  prisons. 

After  these  converts  were  cursed  by  the  Bishops  or 
priests,  no  one  dared  to  do  any  business  with  them. 

*  Followers  of  Don  Miguel  the  usurper  and  tyrant. 


34  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

Thus  they  lost  their  property.  No  one  dared  to 
buy  it.  If  two  men  were  in  partnership  and  one 
became  a  Bible-reader  the  other  could  have  all  the 
property.  Two  poor  men  were  partners  in  sawing 
wood.  The  one  who  owned  two-thirds  of  the 
machinery  became  a  Christian,  but  the  other  con- 
tinued to  worship  images  and  pictures  like  a  devoted 
papist.  The  first  tried  to  sell  out  to  the  other,  but 
as  he  was  "cursed,"  he  could  not  induce  him  to 
buy.  He  then  proposed  that  both  should  sell  out 
and  divide  the  profits,  but  this  plan  would  not  do. 
He  then  appealed  to  a  judge,  and  when  the  judge 
learned  that  one  was  a  convert,  he  gave  the  other 
all  the  property,  and  made  the  innocent  loser  pay 
all  the  costs  ! 

No  Bible-reader  could  obtain  justice  from  any 
court  in  Madeira.  No  one  could  forsake  the  Bomish 
church,  or  keep  away  from  mass  and  confession, 
without  losing  his  property.  If  the  converts  had  any 
relatives  who  were  Bomanists,  the  latter  could  take 
their  houses  and  lands;  if  there  were  no  relatives, 
the  priests  and  the  government  divided  the  confis- 
cated wealth  among  themselves.  A  few  exiles, 
before  leaving  the  island,  sold  their  property  for 
almost  nothing,  but  even  this  was  against  the  curse 
of  the  priest,  who  decreed  that  it  was  wrong  to  touch 
or  talk  with  a  Bible-reader.  The  lepers  of  old  were 
not  more  carefully  to  be  shunned.  This  was  a  high 
compliment  to  the  power  of  the  Bible  and  the  in- 


THE    BIBLE    READERS.  35 

fluence  of  Its  readers.  Before  them  Romanism  could 
not  stand  long. 

Another  very  rich  man  became  poor  for  the  sake 
of  his  Lord  and  Master.  He  would  not  allow  his 
Bible  to  be  taken  away.  He  and  his  family  fled  for 
their  lives.  They  escaped  to  the  mountains,  among 
the  vineyards,  and  hid  among  the  vines.  The 
priests  and  soldiers  could  not  find  them,  to  put 
them  in  prison.  Around  his  large  house  in  the 
city  were  vines,  plants,  and  flowers.  It  was  a 
beautiful  home.  To  give  up  all  this  and  be  hunted 
like  a  wild  beast,  where  he  could  have  no  bed  but 
the  hard  soil  and  no  shelter  but  grape  leaves,  was 
surely  a  great  trial.  Yet  he  was  not  left  unhappy 
by  his  Lord.  If  we  should  be  tried  thus,  we  should 
learn  whether  we  have  any  faith  or  not.  They  at 
last  found  refuge  in  a  vessel  bound  for  Trinidad. 

One  man  was  thrice  in  prison,  and  even  saw  his 
wife  put  into  a  horrid  dungeon.  He  would  not 
yield.  Then  severer  measures  were  used.  He  was 
beaten  with  rods,  until  he  could  not  move  for  several 
days.  But  he  was  firm.  He  told  them,  "  they 
might  scourge  him  until  he  was  dead ;  he  could  die, 
but  he  could  not  give  up  the  Bible."  He  became 
an  Elder  in  the  church,  and  came  to  this  country 
with  the  exiles. 

The  wealthiest  land-owner  on  the  island  was  J. 
F.  Lomelino.  He  was  the  oldest  son  in  his  father's 
house,  and  inherited  a  large  estate.  According  to 
the  laws  of  the   island  his  property  could  not  be 


36  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

taken  from  hira,  and  yet  he  lost  it.  He  was  for 
some  time  an  officer  in  Funchal,  and  was  highly  re- 
spected as  an  intelligent  and  honourable  man.  He 
retired  when  thirty-five  years  of  age,  to  his  native 
village  of  St  Da  Sara,  and  became  its  chief  magis- 
trate. He  heard  of  Dr.  Kalley's  school,  though  he 
never  attended.  As  the  people  were  telling  one 
another  of  the  wonderful  things  in  the  Bible,  he  be- 
came curious  to  learn  what  such  a  book  could  con- 
tain. 

He  went  to  Dr.  Kalley  asking,  "  What  do  these 
things  mean  ?"  The  story  of  the  cross  was  told  to 
him.  It  was  to  him  very  wonderful.  Was  it  not 
strancre  that  he  had  not  heard  it  before  ?  If  the 
Romanists  were  true  Christians,  surely  they  would 
teach  that  I  But  they  had  never  taught  him  how  to 
be  saved  through  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 

He  obtained  a  Bible,  took  it  home,  read  it  eager- 
ly, and  loved  its  truths.  It  was  precious  to  him. 
The  people  about  him  came  to  learn  what  he  had 
that  made  him  so  happy.  They  said,  "  This  man 
soon  talk  more  strong  on  the  gospel  than  any  other 
of  the  people." 

But  enemies  soon  were  spying  out  his  libert3^ 
Some  one  told  the  Bible-haters  that  he  read  the 
word  of  God,  and  denied  that  the  bread  in  the  sa- 
crament was  the  real  body  of  Christ.  He  was  seized, 
torn  away  from  his  family,  tried  before  the  court, 
and  of  course  put  into  prison.  His  foes  might  tor- 
ture him  if  they  chose,  but  he  would  not  give  up  the 


^Zr-' 


TUE    BIBLE    READERS.  37 

Bible.     Thev  could   not  take  its  truths  out  of  his 
head  and  heart. 

In  the  jail  of  Funchal  was  a  place  called  the 
Bomba.  It  was  a  most  disojustins:  deu  of  filth.  It 
was  only  twelve  feet  square.  In  it  were  often 
placed  twenty  persons,  and  when  a  friend  would  go 
there  to  give  them  bread,  he  would  come  away  sick  and 
almost  unable  to  walk.  It  is  most  likely  that  Mr. 
Lomelino  was  often  put  in  the  Bomba,  for  the  spite 
of  his  persecutors  was  so  great  that  they  tortured 
him  all  they  could.  Other  prisoners  said  that  if 
any  severity  of  suffering,  or  abuse  of  words,  or 
loathsome  condition,  was  to  be  endured,  it  was  re- 
served for  him.  They  were  ready  to  let  a  Barabbas 
go  free,  but  an  innocent  disciple  of  Jesus  must 
suffer. 

The  reason  was  plain.  They  hated  him  the 
worst,  because  they  feared  him  most.  They  did  not 
fear  his  hands,  for  he  was  meek,  patient,  and  for- 
giving. He  was  careful  not  to  say  a  word  against 
the  government  or  the  religion  of  the  island.  If  he 
could  have  been  free,  he  would  not  have  forced  any 
one  to  read  the  Bible,  nor  done  harm  to  any  of  his 
persecutors.  They  knew  this.  What  they  feared 
was  his  influence.  lie  was  intelligent,  and  wouUi 
lead  others  to  read  tlie  word  of  God. 

He  was  obliged  to  pay  for    his  own  support  in 

prison.     After  nearly  two  years'  suffering,  he,  with 

twenty-one  others,  was  released  from  the  jail.    They 

were  told  that  if  they  did  not  return  at  once  to  the 

4 


38  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

Romisli  church,  they  should  be  imprisoned  again 
on  charges  which  would  be  sure  to  convict  them. 
In  those  days  if  a  witness  did  not  give  evidence  to 
please  the  priest,  they  threatened  him  with  imprison- 
ment. False  witnesses  could  be  hired,  just  as  they 
were  against  Jesus. 

After  these  twenty-two  persons  were  set  at  liberty 
aorain,  (and  such  liberty !)  some  enemies  threatened 
to  murder  them.  Open  violence  soon  broke  forth. 
On  the  very  evening  when  they  left  the  jail,  some 
Komanists  were  carrying  the  "host"  in  procession 
past  a  poor  Protestant's  house.  These  bearers  of 
the  host  pretended  to  be  very  devout  and  solemn. 
But  some  of  them  broke  open  the  poor  man's  door 
and  destroyed  all  the  property  on  which  they  could 
lay  their  hands.  On  the  same  day  another  poor 
man  was  quietly  going  home,  thinking  perhnps  how 
his  house  had  been  burned  to  the  ground  five  months 
before,  or  how  he  should  provide  for  his  large  family 
of  children.  He  was  attacked  and  cruelly  knocked 
down.  His  arm  was  broken  by  the  first  blow,  four 
wounds  on  his  head  laid  bare  his  skull,  and  the  very 
women  bit  him  as  he  lay  on  the  ground  ;  one  of  them 
tore  the  flesh  from  his  cheek  with  her  teeth  ! 

Mr.  Loraelino  went  home,  but  his  family  were 
gone.  They  too  were  Bible-readers,  and  had  been 
driven  away.  He  was  there  but  a  few  days  when 
he  was  arrested  again.  He  admitted  before  the 
court  that  he  read  the  word  of  God.  For  this  he 
was  sentenced  to  five  years'  banishment.     But  he 


THE    BIBLE    READERS.  39 

appealed  to  the  higher  courts  of  Lishon,  and  re- 
mained in  prison  on  the  island  for  eight  months, 
until  the  time  of  his  further  trial.  Of  course  he 
also  lost  his  property. 

One  day  his  fellow  prisoners  gnashed  on  him  with 
their  teeth  and  cried  out,  "  Now,  dog,  prepare  to  die, 
for  your  God  dies  to-day  !  Dr.  Kalley  is  to  be 
killed  before  to-morrow  morning."  He  was  aware 
that  plots  had  often  been  laid  against  his  own  life 
in  the  prison,  but  he  was  not  troubled  by  them. 
He  was,  however,  in  great  sorrow  when  he  was  told 
that  Dr.  Kalley  was  to  be  murdered.  How  base 
and  ungrateful  his  countryman  were  to  their  best 
earthly  benefactor  !  How  awful  their  crime  of  kill- 
ing a  man  who  was  doing  so  much  to  teach  men 
how  to  be  saved  !  Yet  he  thought  of  the  suffering 
Saviour,  and  felt  able  to  say,  "  I  am  ready  to  die, 
and  expect  to  die ;  or  I  am  ready  to  live  and  suffer  for 
Jesus'  name."  He  was  not  banished  by  the  judges, 
but  was  held  in  prison  for  several  months  longer. 

When  he  came  to  the  United  States  in  1848,  he  was 
asked  if  it  was  not  hard  to  live  in  a  dungeon  three 
years,  when  he  knew  he  was  innocent.  "  Oh  no," 
said  he,  "  it  is  not  hard  if  you  believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  in  the  Bible."  He  said  that  he 
often  thought  of  Paul  and  Silas  singing  in  the 
prison  at  midnight,  and  he  often  wanted  to  sing  as 
they  did,  but  was  not  permitted.  The  vilest  songs 
were  allowed  to  be  sung  by  wicked  men  who  laughed 
at  his  religion. 


40  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

In  those  days  the  Bible-readers  fled  to  the  caves, 
to  the  woods,  and  a  ^realthy  young  lady  was  so 
closely  pursued  that  she  hid  in  a  sewer  of  the  street. 
Some  died  in  their  efforts  to  escape.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  tell  the  half  that  was  suffered. 

At  one  time  the  government  formed  the  idea  of  a 
massacre  of  the  Christians.  They  were  told  by 
officers  that  if  they  still  persisted  in  reading  the 
word  of  God,  they  should  be  burned;  and  thus  an 
end  would  be  put  to  the  heresy. 

These  converts  replied  in  the  true  spirit  of  primi- 
tive martyrs  :  "  We  are  willing  to  be  shut  up  in  this 
prison,  and  suffer  here,  and  we  are  willing  to  be 
burned;  but  we  are  not  willing  to  give  up  this  book, 
and  to  give  up  our  faith." 

There  is  no  doubt  but  this  Bible-reading  was  the 
prime  cause  of  the  persecutions  that  followed. 
Romanism  can  never  live  among  those  who  read  the 
Bible  in  their  own  houses.  The  cry  of  the  great 
corrupt  church  is,  ''Away  with  the  Bible  !"  The  word 
of  our  Lord  is,  "  Search  the  Scriptures."  The  Be- 
reans  could  not  have  been  Roman  Catholics.  ^'  They 
searched  the  Scriptures  daily."  There  was  no 
Romanism  in  the  home  of  young  Timothy,  for  he 
knew  the  Scriptures  from  a  child.  But  all  Bereans, 
all  the  Loises,  the  Eunices,  and  Timothys  on  Madeira 
were  persecuted.  What  would  St.  Peter  have  said 
to  all  this  ?     ''  Grow  in  knowledge." 


MRS.    MARIA  JOAQUINA   ALVES.  41 


CHAPTER    IV. 

MRS.    MARIA   JOAQUINA   ALVES. 

"  She  has  been  called  to  such  a  trial  of  her  faith  as  has  fallen  to 
the  lot  of  no  other  Christian  woman  in  the  nineteenth  century." 

This  noble  woman  was  the  wife  of  Manuel  Alves, 
and  the  mother  of  seven  children,  one  of  whom  was 
a  tender  babe  when  she  was  first  taken  from  them. 
She  lived  in  the  village  of  Santa  Cruz,  twenty-five 
or  thirty  miles  from  Funchal.  It  would  seem  that 
her  home  was  a  pleasant  one,  and  well  furnished 
with  the  comforts  of  this  life. 

In  some  way  the  Bible  came  into  her  hands.  It 
was  a  new  book  to  her.  She  read  it,  and  found  that 
Jesus  was  the  only  Saviour  of  sinners.  She  learned 
that  saints,  angels,  and  the  Virgin  Mary,  were  not 
able  to  save.  She  discovered  that  her  former  teach- 
ers had  deceived  her.  Her  prayer  was  directed  to 
Jesus  Christ,  who  heard  her  and  forgave  her  sins. 
Great  was  her  joy  in  the  Saviour.  She  told  her 
neighbours,  as  the  woman  of  Samaria  did,  when  she 
invited  the  people  to  come  and  see  Jesus. 

Her  light  was  shining  and  her  enemies  saw  it. 
They  saw   that  her  godly  life  and  fervent  prayers 


42  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

"would  lead  many  to  become  lovers  of  God  and  his 
word.  Tbej  thought  they  would  fill  the  minds  of 
others  with  terror  by  making  an  example  of  her. 
She  was  arrested  and  placed  in  the  village  jail  for 
nine  months.  Then  she  was  removed  to  the  prison 
at  Funchal.  This  loathsome  place  was  her  home 
for  years,  where  she  breathed  only  the  spirit  of 
prayer  for  her  persecutors.  She  was  put  in  a  room 
with  twenty  more,  to  be  exposed  to  their  ridicule  and 
insults.  At  length  she  had  a  separate  room,  but 
there  was  no  door  to  protect  her.  She  took  with 
her  a  Xew  Testament,  concealed  in  her  bosom,  so 
that  in  her  lonely  days  she  could  still  read  the 
words  of  comfort  and  faith.  Soon  however  she  was 
searched,  her  Testament  was  found,  and  thrown 
to  the  flames.  Her  friends  gave  her  two  others  at 
different  times,  but  they  were  taken  and  burned. 
Yet  she  was  cheerful.  Her  mind  was  stayed  on  her 
Saviour.  It  is  wonderful  how  the  truth  and  love 
of  God  can  make  the  greatest  sufferers  happy.  She 
was  willing  to  die  if  that  was  her  Lord's  will.  For 
her  children  she  must  have  been  very  anxious. 

The  more  firm  her  faith  was,  the  more  angry  were 
her  persecutors.  They  resolved  that  she  should 
suffer  the  severest  penalty  of  the  law.  The  long- 
expected  day  for  her  trial  came.  She  went  into  the 
court  room,  prepared  for  the  sentence  of  death.  The 
court  made  a  great  display.  The  judge  was  very 
grave.  Her  indictment  was  read.  Three  charges 
were  written  against  her,   "  Apostasy,  heresy,  and 


MRS.    ALVES.  4B 

blasphemy  I"  She  was  tried  only  for  blasphemy. 
And  what  had  she  done  that  was  blasphemous  ?  She 
had  refused  to  say  that  the  "  wafer"  in  the  Romish 
communion  was  the  real  body  and  the  real  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  refused  to  adore  it !  Just  what 
any  of  us  who  know  what  common  sense  is,  would 
refuse  to  do  !     Never  was  this  denial  a  sin. 

The  question  was  asked :  "  Do  you  believe  the 
consecrated  host  is  the  real  body  and  real  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  ?' '  On  the  answer  her  life  would  hinge. 
She  knew  it.  But  she  dared  not  give  a  false  answer. 
*'  I  do  not  believe  it,"  she  calmly  replied.  All  eyes 
were  fixed  on  a  woman  who  could  not  be  frightened. 
She  could  boldly  say,  ''- 1  do  not  believe  it  .^" 

What  was  now  to  be  done  ?  One  would  suppose 
that  such  an  honest  opinion  of  what  is  as  plain  as 
day-light,  would  not  meet  with  harshness.  But 
while  all  eyes  were  gazing,  the  judge  rose  and  pro- 
nounced upon  her  the  sentence  of  death  !  The 
sentence  was  in  these  words  : — 

"  In  view  of  the  answers  of  the  jury  and  the  dis- 
cussions of  the  cause,  &c.,  it  is  proved  that  the  accused, 
Maria  Joaquina,  perhaps  forgetful  of  the  principles 
of  the  holy  religion  she  received  in  her  first  years, 
and  to  which  she  still  belongs,  has  maintained  con- 
versations and  arguments  condemned  by  the  church  ; 
maintaining  that  veneration  should  not  be  given  to 
images ;  denying  the  real  existence  of  Christ  in  the 
sacred  host ;  the  mystery  of  the  most  Holy  Trinity; 


44  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

"blasphemiDg  against  the  most  holy  Virgin,  the 
mother  of  God,  and  advancing  other  expressions 
against  the  doctrines  received  and  followed  by 
the  Roman  Catholic  apostolic  church,  expounding 
these  condemned  doctrines  to  different  persons,  thus 
committing  the  crimes  of  heresy,  blasphemy,  &c.  I 
condemn  the  accused,  Maria  Joaquina,  to  suffer 
DEATH  as  provided  in  the  law ;  the  costs  of  the 
process,  &c.  to  be  paid  out  of  her  goods. 

"  Funchal  Oriental^  in  public  court,  May  2d, 
1844. 

"  Jose  PerreiraLeito  Pitta  OrtegueiraNegrao, 
Judge,  &:c." 

Such  a  sentence  ought  to  go  down  to  every  gen- 
eration that  will  know  anything  of  Romanism. 
Remember  this  was  not  done  in  the  dark  ages,  but 
in  1844 !  It  was  not  for  murder  nor  treason,  but 
for  daring  to  deny  an  absurdity.  She  had  not 
united  with  any  Protestant  church  ;  she  had  simply 
refused  to  believe  an  error  ! 

She  thought  the  sentence  would  be  as  unchange- 
able as  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians.  She 
did  not  ask  the  court  to  reverse  it.  No  apology 
escaped  her  lips,  no  mercy  was  asked  ;  but  she  stood 
with  heroic  firmness,  and  commended  her  persecu- 
tors to  God,  praying  for  their  salvation.  Death  had 
no  terror  for  such  a  spirit.  Her  Lord  endured  the 
shame  of  the  cross,  and  she  was  ready  to  die  in  any 


MRS.    ALVES.  45 

Bhameful  way  that  they  dare  propose.  Her  expec- 
tation was,  soon  to  be  in  heaven. 

The  English  people  on  the  island  were  deeply 
affected  by  such  a  cruel  procedure.  They  drew  up 
a  petition  to  the  Queen  of  Portugal  asking  that  this 
Christian  lady  might  not  be  so  unjustly  put  to  death. 
An  appeal  was  also  carried  up  to  the  higher  court, 
and  in  18-45,  it  was  declared  that  as  there  had  been 
no  trial  for  two  of  the  charges  (heresy  and  apostasy), 
she  might  be  released  from  the  penalty  of  death, 
but  should  be  kept  in  prison  for  three  months  and 
should  pay  a  fine  of  six  dollars.  But  how  could  she 
pay  the  fine  ?  They  would  not  allow  her  friends  to 
do  it.  So  she  must  suffer  out  the  fine.  Month 
after  month  she  was  kept  in  the  dismal  prison.  For 
those  six  dollars  she  was  imprisoned  twenty-three 
months  !  In  all  she  was  kept  in  prison  more  than 
two  years  and  a  half ! 

She  had  a  sister  with  her  part  of  these  long 
years  as  a  fellow-sufferer.  "When  their  days  were 
fulfilled,  they  were  allowed  to  return  to  the  family, 
who  were  glad  to  meet  her  whom  they  never 
expected  to  see  at  home  again.  Great  joy  was  felt 
by  the  Christian  people  at  her  release.  To  show 
what  foes  she  had  to  face,  we  quote  a  letter  from 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Hewitson,  the  devoted  missionary  on 
the  island  : 

"  July  11th,  1845.  It  was  reported  a  few  days 
ago  that  a  writer  was  to  be  posted  at  the  door,  to 
take  down  the  names  of  the  people  who  might  enter  ; 


46  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

but  as  yet  he  lias  not  made  his  appearance.  Mean- 
while public  notice  has  been  given  by  means  of 
placards,  I  believe,  lixed  at  the  church  doors,  that 
all  who  have  not  been  attending  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  and  not  gone  to  confess  to  the  priest,  are 
required  to  confess  or  attend  church,  within  the 
space  of  ten  days,  at  the  risk  of  being  imprisoned. 
The  ten  days  have  not  yet  expired.  Maria  Joaquina 
was  liberated  from  prison  on  Thursday  of  last  week. 
I  saw  her  a  short  time  after  her  release,  and  on 
Saturday  morning  she  was  present  at  our  meeting 
for  worship.  She  had  been  in  prison  for  two  years 
and  some  months.  She  is  an  applicant  for  admission 
to  the  communion." 

This  living  martyr,  with  her  husband,  children, 
and  sister,  afterwards  fled  to  Trinidad.  She  after- 
wards came  to  the  United  States.  She  seemed 
always  happy.  A  friend  in  New  York  asked  her, 
"  Is  your  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  as  strong  now  as 
before,  and  are  you  as  willing  to  die  as  when  in 
prison,  and  expecting  to  be  executed  ?" 

"  I  feel,"  said  she  with  a  starting  tear,  "  that  my 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is  growing  stronger  and 
stronger  every  day,  and  that  I  am  willing  to  die 
whenever  he  calls  me." 

She  is  hastening  to  the  close  of  her  pilgrimage, 
when  she  shall  come  up  before  the  bright  throne 
of  glory  "out  of  great  tribulation."  She  went  to 
her  western  home  in  Illinois,  there  to  be  buried 
and  rest  tiU  the  morning  of  the  resurrection. 


THE   REV.    W.    II.    IIEWITSON.  4T 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE    REV.    W.    H.    HEWITSON. 

Dr.  Kalley  had  been  often  threatened.  His 
friends  in  Scotland  wrote  for  him  to  flee  the  island. 
But  with  Nehemiah  he  could  say,  "  Should  such  a 
man  as  I  flee  ?"  In  one  of  his  letters  written  when 
he  expected  every  hour  to  be  put  in  jail,  he  says, 
*'  You  reminded  me  of  the  order  given,  when  perse- 
cuted in  one  city  to  flee  into  another  ;  but  you  will 
also  remember  that  it  is  said  of  the  hireling  that  he 
fleeth,  because  he  is  an  hireling,  and  the  wolf  comes, 
and  catches  the  sheep.  Were  I  to  flee,  I  believe 
the  poor  sheep  of  Christ's  fold  would  feel  deeply 
discouraged,  and  the  wolf  would  catch  them.  The 
Lord  can  deliver  out  of  the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  of 
the  bear.  He  would  deliver  them  though  I  were 
away ;  but  it  is  necessary  for  us  always  to  examine 
well,  and  seek  to  know  the  will  of  God,  for  it  is  not 
for  us  to  run  whenever  the  lion  growls.  Let  those 
who  have  no  hope,  or  confidence  in  the  Eternal, 
fear  men  that  shall  die,  but  let  not  us  fear  earth  or 
hell." 

There  was  danger.     He  says,   "  In  point  of  fact, 


48  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

the  Inquisition  is  established  in  Funchal.  There  is 
a  secret  tribunal  of  priests,  who  make  investigations 
in  secret ;  and  without  any  citation  or  hearing  of 
the  person,  he  is  consigned  to  the  civil  power  to  be 
put  in  jail,  against  even  their  own  ecclesiastical  laws 
and  civil  rights." 

Dr.  Kallej  was  the  special  object  of  vengeance 
from  the  priests  and  the  government.  But  how 
could  he  be  arrested  ?  The  treaty  between  England 
and  Portugal  would  forbid  it.  This  treaty  gave  all 
persons  in  Madeira  the  liberty  to  enjoy  their  own 
religion  without  molestation.  But  the  Romanists 
were  determined  that  Dr.  Kalley  should  not  sit 
under  this  vine.  So  they  hunted  up  an  old  law  of 
the  Inquisition  in  1603,  which  had  no  more  force 
there  than  a  law  from  the  court  of  Japan,  and  by 
that  they  arrested  him,  tried,  condemned,  and  put 
him  into  prison.  For  five  months  he  lay  in  the 
gloomy  cell. 

Nor  was  he  idle  there.  The  friends  of  the 
prisoners  were  allowed  to  visit  them  six  or  eight 
hours  every  day,  perhaps  with  the  design  of  trying 
to  induce  them  to  recant  the  new  doctrines.  The 
jailer  warned  many  of  them  not  to  visit  Dr.  Kalley, 
and  he  took  down  the  names  of  many  who  did  visit 
him,  threatening  to  have  them  arrested.  They 
were  however  allowed  to  enter  by  threes,  but  there 
was  to  be  "  no  singing  or  reading  of  the  Bible 
there."  On  Sabbaths,  from  seventy  to  an  hundred 
friends  came  to  hear   him  talk  to   them.     As  only 


THE    REV.    W.    II.    IIEWITSON.  49 

three  could  enter  at  a  time,  tliere  were  many 
gathered  about  the  door,  anxiously  waiting  their 
turn.  These  persons  were  mocked  and  abused  by 
those  who  went  to  and  from  the  cathedral.  Dr. 
Kalley  was  released  in  1844.  He  often  had  six 
hundred  people  to  hear  him,  from  whom  he  withheld 
nothing  which  would  benefit  their  souls. 

A  new  governor  was  appointed.  This  man  had 
declared  that  if,  he  ever  filled  that  office,  he  would 
not  rest  until  he  had  driven  Dr.  Kalley  from  the 
island  and  put  a  stop  to  the  work.  He  began  in 
earnest  to  do  this,  by  every  means  at  his  command. 
The  free  use  of  the  cudgel  was  recommended  as  an 
argument  which  country  people  could  feel  and 
understand.  ]\[urder  was  suggested  in  the  public 
papers  as  an  easy  way  to  get  rid  of  the  teachers 
and  readers  of  the  Bible.  Hints  were  thrown  out 
about  a  new  St.  Bartholomew's  day  !  or  Sicilian 
vespers.  The  officers  did  not  rebuke  such  threats 
in  any  public  manner,  if  they  did  at  all.  Some 
persons  were  beaten,  some  stoned  ;  three  houses 
were  burned,  two  more  were  fired,  and  all  at  the 
same  hour,  though  far  apart.  The  more  the  suflferers 
complained  and  entreated,  the  more  injury  they 
received.  The  dead  were  refused  a  grave  except  in 
the  highway. 

Dr.  Kalley  expected  to  be  driven  away  from  the 

island.     He  knew  it  would  be  best  to  avoid  this  if 

possible.     He  went  to  Lisbon,  and  it  was  agreed  to 

stay  certain    proceedings    against    him.     He   was 

5 


50  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

earnestly  desiring  help,  so  that  by  being  less  pub- 
lic himself  as  a  teacher,  he  might  still  labour  for 
those  already  converted.     "Who  would  come  ? 

At  Lisbon  he  met  Mr.  Hewitson,  and  learned,  to 
his  joyful  surprise,  that  he  had  been  appointed  by 
the  church  in  Scotland  to  go  to  Madeira,  and  was 
on  the  way.*  As  this  devoted  man  did  so  much  for 
the  work  on  the  island,  let  us  learn  more  fully  who 
he  was. 

William  Hepburn  Hewitson  was  born  at  Culross 
in  Ayrshire,  on  the  16th  of  September,  1812.  He 
was  not  a  remarkable  boy.  He  was  known  as  a 
delicate  pale  child,  having  little  taste  for  boyish 
sports.  He  was,  as  all  children  naturally  are, 
worldly  and  ambitious.  His  earthly  ambition  was 
love  of  praise.  He  would  say  in  his  childish  manner 
that  he  would  be  "  either  a  minister  or  a  king,"  and 
he  often  asked  how  long  it  would  take  to  be  a  king, 
and  how  long  to  be  a  minister.  Sometimes  he 
would  mount  a  chair  and,  gathering  the  little  band 
about  him,  would  strain  every  power  to  move  his 
hearers  to  tears.     And  they  did  weep  at  his  words. 

As  he  grew  older  he  was  devoted  to  books.  Often 
did  his  school-mates  laugh  at  him  for  being  a  book- 
worm. He  was  ambitious  to  qualify  himself  for 
entering  college,  and  had  an  energy  that  never 
flagged.  He  was  so  independent  that  he  would 
hardly  receive  aid  from  his  father  in  his  studies. 
''  All  he  wanted  to  know  was  that  such  and  such 
things  should  be  done,  and  he  set  himself  in  right 


THE   REV.    W.    n.    HEWITSON.  5l 

earnest  to  do  them."  *^  Alone  and  unaided  he  at- 
tained to  a  greater  knowledge  and  skill  in  languages 
than  most  boys  do  at  the  best  academies,  with  all 
the  help  of  tutors  and  teachers  of  first  rate  accom- 
plishments. Then  the  foundation  was  laid  of  his 
future  eminence  as  a  scholar  and  as  a  thinker  for 
himself." 

lie  was  rigorously  truthful.  He  could  not  endure 
to  show  any  appearance  of  falsehood  in  word  or 
action.  The  idea  of  being  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
often  came  to  his  mind,  and  he  seems  to  have  thought 
no  more  of  ever  trying  to  be  a  king.  *'  Even  in  his 
walks  with  me  as  a  boy,"  writes  one  of  his  early 
friends,  *'  he  showed  the  loftiness  and  purity  of  his 
aims,  in  declaring  to  me  that  he  never  would  be  a 
minister  unless  he  were  first  a  Christian.  He  scorned 
the  mockery  of  setting  up  to  preach  what  he  did  not 
thoroughly  believe,  and  feel,  and  live  upon,  himself. 
Every  thing  must  be  reality  with  him,  within  and 
without.     You  saw  him  just  as  he  was." 

At  collecre  he  soon  became  known  as  amontj  those 
who  were  at  the  head  of  the  list.  The  self-tauiiht 
country  lad  had  few  compeers.  When  five  contestors 
were  chosen  by  the  votes  of  his  class  he  was  one  of 
the  five,  and  at  the  top  of  the  list  of  competitors. 
The  student  next  him,  had  been  in  the  class  already 
for  three  sessions.  Between  these  two  there  was 
an  intense  struggle.  At  the  first  examination  they 
were  pronounced  equal — the  professor  not  being 
able  to  decide  between  them.     At  the  second  trial 


52  THE    EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

he  made  a  mistake.  He  saw  it  at  once.  He  felt 
that  the  prize  was  lost.  But  he  was  determined 
that  before  the  professor  should  enter  the  class  to 
announce  his  rival's  victory,  he  would  let  him  know 
that  the  student  understood  his  own  blunder  as  well 
as  the  professor  himself.  He  therefore  wrote  a 
polite  note  to  the  professor  correcting  the  blunder, 
but  acknowledging  that  it  was  too  late  to  be  helped. 
The  professor  announced  the  decision  and  read  the 
note.  The  students  were  loud  in  their  praise  of 
Hewitson,  and  though  he  lost  the  medal  that  year, 
they  made  it  up  by  presenting  him  a  copy  of  the 
"  Attic  Orators."  This  delicate  gift  was  honourable 
to  all  concerned.  The  next  year  the  professor  urged 
him  to  be  a  candidate  and  he  took  the  prize  very 
easily.  On  the  morning  of  March  31st,  1835,  as 
the  gold  medal  was  hung  about  his  neck,  he  felt 
almost  to  be  the  "  king"  of  his  childish  years,  and 
the  students  were  rarely  so  enthusiastic  in  hailing 
him  as  the  first  man  of  his  year.  This  was  his  prize 
for  the  classics.  But  in  Logic  also  he  bore  off  the 
palm  over  forty  rivals. 

There  is  a  song  about  the  nightingale,  that  when 
young  sat  in  the  nest  and  picked  the  green  leaves 
of  the  rose.  This  was  its  pleasure.  But  after 
awhile  the  rose  unfolded  itself,  and  then  the  bird 
sang  only  of  it,  flew  among  the  thorns,  wounded 
itself  and  died.  Such  young  men  as  Kirke  White, 
PoUok,  and  Hewitson  did  this.  They  saw  beauty 
blooming   on    every  thorny  limb    of   the    tree   of 


THE   REV.    W.    H.    HEWITSON.  5^ 

knowledge,  and  in  trying  to  gain  it  they  wounded 
themselves — they  almost  died  by  reaching  for  roses 
where  once  they  gathered  only  leaves. 

Hewitson  paid  dearly  for  his  honours.  They  cost 
him  health,  and  that  is  hard  to  buy  back  when  lost. 
The  night  had  hardly  stopped  him  in  his  pursuit.  lie 
often  had  not  slept  till  three  or  four  in  the  morning, 
and  had  risen  at  seven.  He  did  not  heed  the  warn- 
ings of  friends.  He  sometimes  came  in  from  class, 
pale  and  weary,  laid  his  hand  on  his  heart,  and  drew 
a  long  breath  with  evident  pain,  but  still  he  gave  up 
all  to  study. 

He  made  one  other  effort  for  an  honour.  A  prize 
had  been  offered  to  the  students  for  the  best  essay 
"  on  the  Nature,  Causes,  and  Effects  of  National 
Character."  Hewitson  stretched  forth  his  hand  and 
took  it.  In  December  1837,  his  essay  took  the 
honours.  It  was  read,  and  highly  applauded.  A 
listener,  now  known  as  Dr.  James  Hamilton  of 
London,  exclaimed,  "  What  a  fine  sense  he  has  of 
the  sublime  !" 

Do  you  not  imagine  that  the  young  victor  had  his 
heart  set  on  publishing  the  essay  ?  Not  long  be- 
fore he  would  have  leaped  for  joy  at  the  proposal. 
But  now  Professor  Wilson  urges  its  publication,  and 
Hewitson  refuses  !     All  is  changed  ! 

He  felt  that  he  had  grasped  a  shadow;  ah  !  a  sting- 
ing serpent.    He  thought  of  himself  and  was  ashamed. 
He  thought  upon   God   and  was  troubled.      He  felt 
that  he  must  be  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  but  how 
5  * 


54  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

unprepared,  how  unworthy,  how  fearful !  He  says, 
*'  that  is  the  grand  object  of  my  existence — the 
motive  of  all  my  exertions — identified  with  all  my 
hopes,  and  fears — the  centre  of  my  soul.  If  it  be 
not  gained,  a  dark  cloud  will  settle  all  around  my 
path,  a  blighting  chill  will  benumb  all  my  faculties, 
and  will  make  me  useless  to  myself  and  others." 

Oh  if  he  only  loved  Jesus  !  that  is  now  his  thought. 
Once  he  loved  to  be  praised,  but  now  his  soul  is  on 
fire  with  a  purer,  nobler  wish  ;  he  wants  to  praise 
Jesus  and  tell  of  his  great  love.  His  sad  soul 
mourns  as  he  wishes  his  heart  were  full  of  love  to 
its  God  and  Saviour,  and  yet  finds  it  cold  as  ice  and 
hard  as  adamant. 

And  why,  how, this  change  ?  A  "living  epistle" 
had  come  before  his  eye.  He  read  the  lesson  and 
learned  it  well. 

.  While  at  Leamington  writing  that  prize  essay,  he 
was  aroused  to  something  nobler  than  seeking 
honours  of  men.  He  says,  "  I  happened  one  day 
to  turn  up  to  the  mineral  spring.  A  young  man 
entered  the  building,  whose  appearance  at  once  at- 
tracted my  observation.  His  coarse  linen  frock 
contrasted  strangely  with  the  gay  apparel  of  the 
groups  before  me.  He  was  emaciated  and  walked 
forward  with  a  feeble  step.  After  drinking  of  the 
water  (out  of  a  vessel  of  earthen  ware,  which  was 
placed  beside  a  number  of  tumblers),  he,  without 
having  apparently  observed  any  one,  again  slowly 
withdrew.     After  a  little,  I  began  slowly  to  descend 


THE    REV.    W.    II.    IIEWITSON.  65 

the  hill,  in  the  middle  of  which  the  spring  was  sit- 
uated, and  found  the  young  man  sitting  at  one  of 
the  bends  of  the  winding  path  which  slopes  gently 
down  the  declivity.     I  spoke  to  him.     His  diffident 
tone  of  voice,  and  his  modesty  of  manner,  at  once 
enlisted  my  sympathies.    During  several  weeks  after- 
wards I  frequently  visited  his  father's  lowly  cottage. 
My  intercourse  with  the  young  man  soon  gave  me 
ground  to  conclude,  that,  if  my  theoretic  knowledge 
of  gospel  truths  was   greater   than  his,  he,   unlike 
myself,    had    experienced  their  sanctifying  power. 
Truly  his  was  the  better  portion.     When  he  spoke 
of  the  Saviour's  love  to  sinners,  and  of  his  obedience 
unto  death  for  their  redemption,  he  at  times  gave 
vent  to  his  gratitude  in  tears  of  joy.     Pointing  to 
his  clothes  on  one  occasion,  he  said,  addressing  his 
father,  "  These  will  be  no  more  needed ;  I  wish  you 
to  sell  them  ;  the  price  of  them  will  be  enough  to 
pay  for  my  coffin."     He  seemed  like  one  who  had 
obtained   "  everlasting  consolation  and  good  hope 
through  grace,"  to   have  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  or 
anxiety  on  his  soul  as  to  the   prospect  of  eternal 
glory.     One  evening  about  sunset  he  fell  asleep." 

The  young  prize  seeker  was  struck  with  an  arrow 
from  God.  That  peasant  was  such  a  "  living  epis- 
tle," that  no  one  could  read  it  and  not  be  affected. 
The  thought  came,  "  I  am  a  stranger  to  all  this." 
He  asked  himself,  "  Could  /  thus  calmly  pass  into 
the  immediate  presence  of  the  holy  and  just  Jehovah  ? 
Am  /,  like  him,  sheltered  from  the  *  wrath  to  come?* 


56  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  How  miserable  a 
state  of  mind  is  that  in  which  sorrow,  like  a  heavy 
load,  weighs  upon  the  heart,  and  tries  to  find  relief 
in  tears,  but  cannot  find  it!"  Well  might  he  have 
said  as  Cowper  wrote  : 

"I  was  a  stricken  deer  that  left  the  herd 
Long  since  ;  with  many  an  arrow  deep  infixed 
My  panting  side  was  charged,  when  I  withdrew 
To  seek  a  tranquil  death  in  distant  shades. 
There  I  was  found  by  One  who  had  himself 
Been  hurt  by  th'  archers.     In  his  side  he  bore, 
And  in  his  hands  and  feet,  the  cruel  scars. 
With  gentle  force  soliciting  the  darts, 
He  drew  them  forth,  and  healed,  and  bade  me  live." 

His  mind  could  not  be  turned  from  the  ministry. 
To  be  a  king  would  only  be  playing  with  baubles. 
But  he  doubts  ever  being  capable  to  preach.  Yet 
he  says,  ''  Let  God  dispose  of  me  for  time  and  for 
eternity  so  as  most  to  show  forth  his  glory.  If  it 
be  his  will  that  I  am  to  be  a  minister  of  Christ, 
blessed  be  his  name  !  If  he  dispose  of  me  otherwise, 
his  will  be  done  !" 

In  1838  he  became  a  student  at  Edinburgh  where 
Dr.  Chalmers  presided  over  Divinity  Hall.  For 
talent  and  scholarship  he  was  well  known.  But 
there  was  a  deep  sorrow  in  his  heart,  which  no 
human  eye  could  detect.  He  says,  "  I  cried  to  the 
unhiown  God  with  my  voice,  and  often  cried  in 
despair.  The  cry  seemed  never  to  reach  his  ears, 
and  then  I  was  so  '  troubled  that  I  could  not  speak.' 


THE    REV.    W.    II.    HEWITSOX.  57 

At  such  a   time  would  I  pour    forth  to  God    such 
lines  as  these  : 

"  *  Oh  wherefore  hnst  thou  left  me  now 

In  dej>perate  struggles  all  alone  ? 
Wliat  teiiipe:>t  hules  thine  awful  brow  ? 

What  horror  girds  thy  gracious  throne  ? 
Thou  art  my  Father — deign  to  look 

Upon  the  anguish  throbbing  here, 
And  not  regard  with  stern  rebuke 

The  scorching  agony  of  this  tear.'  " 

But  he  came  at  length  to  the  cross,  and  found  his 
burden  gone.  In  1840,  he  was  brought  under  the 
preaching  of  that  burning  and  shining  light,  ^Ir. 
McCheyne,  and  he  was  led  to  Jesus.  He  now 
pressed  forward  "  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of 
the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  now 
wished  to  have  "  an  ear  deaf  to  the  world's  music, 
but  all  awake  to  the  voice  of  Him  w^ho  is  '  the  chief 
among  ten  thousand  and  the  altogether  lovely.'  '* 
He  too  became  a  "  living  epistle,"  and  when  he 
went  again  among  his  friends  at  home,  "  they  took 
knowledge  of  him  that  he  had  been  with  Jesus." 

Still  he  was  a  student.  He  writes — ''  In  the 
course  of  my  walkings  to-day,  I  have  been  in- 
formed that  I  am  studying  twenty-four  hours  a  day, 
and  I  may  reasonably  expect  ere  long  to  be  informed 
that  I  am  very  ill  in  consequence  of  my  hard  study. 
Oh  that  this  indolent  me  were  able  to  study  hard  !" 
And  again  two  months  later  he  writes,  *'  I  am  not 
troubled  now  either  by  the  '  indolence  of  genius,'  or 
the  genius  of  indolence.    I  was  out  of  bed  this  morn- 


58  THE   EXILES   OP   MADEIRA. 

ing  by  four  o'clock.  I  wish  I  could  keep  '  Mmshull' 
hours  regularly ;  I  dare  say  such  hours  were  kept 
by  Adam  and  Eve  when  they  were  wont  to  close 
their  eyes  in  faith,  and  open  them  in  prayer." 

"  God  will  not  suffer  me  to  be  ambitious  now," 
he  says.  His  fine  genius  was  turned  to  the  cross, 
and  he  became  a  little  child.  He  sold  the  gold 
medal,  once  the  idol  of  his  heart,  and  put  the  pro- 
ceeds into  the  Lord's  treasury. 

Thoughts  of  the  missionary  work  now  came  into 
his  mind.  "  Such  is  the  expansive  energy  of  Chris- 
tian love,"  he  once  said,  "  that  wherever  it  sees  a 
brow  like  that  which  was  mocked  with  a  crown  of 
thorns,  it  will  not  be  satisfied  till  on  that  brow  there 
be  engraved  the  name  of  Jesus.  '  I  am  a  mission- 
ary' is  a  thought  which  we  should  frequently — every 
day  that  passes — entertain  in  our  minds.  We  should 
be  ever  ready  to  put  the  question,  '  What  as  a  mis- 
sionary ought  I  now  to  do  ?'  " 

"I  am  forbidden  to  study,"  he  was  compelled 
at  length  to  say.  Disease  shut  him  up  in  the  house, 
during  the  winter  of  1841-2.  In  the  spring  he 
went  to  Germany  for  his  health.  To  a  great  suf- 
erer  he  wrote  while  travelling.  "  You  are  tried  by 
sore  pain  in  the  morning ;  at  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning  Christ  was  nailed  to  the  cross.  All  day 
long  you  are  afflicted  with  pain ;  Christ  hung  on  the 
cross  in  an  agony  till  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
*  Behold  the  lamb  of  God  !'  and  amidst  your  suffer- 
ings, take  comfort  from  the  sight  of  his  wounded, 


THE   REV.    W.    n.    IIEWITSON.  59 

bleeding  body."     Such  a  man  -would  make  a  "son 
of  consolation"  to  the  people  of  God. 

Again  he  was  in  the  solitude  of  Dalmellington, 
his  home.     His  friends  thought  that  he  would  soon 
die  of  consumption.     But  he  was  intent   on  doing 
some  work  for  the  Master  ere  he  should  go  hence. 
He  thought  of  the  south  of  France,  and   Malta,  as 
fields  of  labour,  where   his   health  might  possibly 
be  regained.     Little  did  he  know  yet,  that  God  was 
making  a  way  for  him  in  Madeira.     The  hour  had 
come,  and  a  Mr.  Sym  proposed  that  island  on  which 
such  a  grand  scene  was  enacting.     Yes,   Madeira  ! 
it  was  the  very  place.    God  had  sent  one  labourer  there 
through  ill  health,  and  now  he  has  another  ready 
when  needed.     It  was  a  pleasing  idea  to  Mr.  Hew- 
itson.     He  wrote,  October  15,  1844,  ''  It  is,  I  un- 
derstand, most  desirable,  at  present,  that  a  minister 
should  be  sent  out  to  Madeira  to  acquire  the  Por- 
tuguese   language,  with    a  view  to    preaching    the 
gospel  to  the  poor  Portuguese  in  the  island.     Dur- 
ing the  year  which  would  be  spent  in  doing  nothing 
but  acquiring  the  language,  my  health  might  be  so 
far  recruited,  by  the  blessing  of  God  on  the  change 
of  air,  as  to  enable  me  afterwards  to  labour  in  that 
.  part  of  the  vineyard.     Doubtless  it  would  be  more 
consonant  to  my  natural  wishes,  to  be  a  minister  of 
the  gospel  at  home ;  but  if  in  a  way  so  unexpected, 
the  Lord  be  pleased  to   say,    '  I  will  send  thee  far 
hence  unto  the  Gentiles,'  it  is  my  part  to  deny  my- 
self through  his  grace,  and  take  up  my  cross  and 


60  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

go.     Madeira   is  at  present    the  forlorn    hope    of 
Christianity.     There,  more  than  anywhere   else   in 
our   day,  has  Popery  breathed  its  natural  element 
of  intolerance  and  persecution." 

'*  Yesterday,"  he  writes,  November  7th,  1844, 
**  was  a  solemn  day,  one  ever  to  be  remembered.  I 
was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh  (Free 
church  of  Scotland)."  This  was  part  of  the  pre- 
paration for  Madeira.  "  I  go  to  Portugal  as  a 
missionary  and  may  have  much  to  try  me  and  put 
my  faith  to  the  proof."  "  Pray  for  me,  my  dear 
friend.  Remember  my  trials  and  difficulties  before 
the  Lord.  Let  us  not  forgets  Saturday  evenings  at 
seven  o'clock.  Then  pray  for  fruit  unto  eternal 
life  from  among  the  poor  Portuguese." 

Some  one  unwisely  published  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Hewitson  intended  to  go  to  Madeira,  but  the  Lord 
overruled  it  for  good.  It  made  it  necessary  for  him  to 
go  first  to  Lisbon.  There  his  Master  took  him 
"  aside,  once  more  to  give  to  his  sickle  a  new  edge." 
The  two  months  spent  there  did  much  to  qualify 
him  for  trying  events,  among  enemies  such  as  he 
had  never  known,  and  could  not  fully  know  until  he 
should  suffer  persecution. 


TUE    YOUNG    MISSIONARY.  01 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE   YOUNG    MISSIONARY. 

"  Tuesday,  January  28th,  1844.     Mr.  A- 


called  this  evening  to  tell  me  that  Dr.  Kalley  had 
arrived  from  Madeira ;  and  while  he  was  here,  a 
letter  came  from  Mr.  Sjm,  intimating  that  I  had 
the  consent  of  the  Colonial  Committee  to  go  imme- 
diately to  Madeira.  Thus,  in  a  marvellous  manner, 
the-  Lord  has  been  answering  the  prayer  which  yes- 
terday I  offered  up  for  direction  and  counsel." 

Thus  while  the  Lord  was  preparing  a  labourer  for 
the  Held,  he  was  also  preparing  the  field  for  the 
labourer.  It  must  have  overjoyed  the  heart  of  Dr. 
Kalley  thus  to  meet  one,  who,  without  his  knowledge, 
had  been  sent  to  stay  up  his  hands,  and  reap  a 
glorious  harvest.  The  young  missionary  was  to 
take  his  place. 

There  was  no  church  yet  organized  among  the 
converts.  Not  many  had  openly  renounced  Popery ; 
only  twenty-five  or  thirty  ;  many  were  reading  the 
Bible  and  giving  up  the  errors  of  Rome  one  by  one. 
They  were  truly  as  sheep  without  a  she))lierd.  Mr. 
Ilewitson  was  entering  upon  a  field  where  the 
6 


62  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

enemy  was  strong.  He  was  sent  forth  as  a  sheep 
among  wolves.  He  ran  the  risk  of  enmity,  and  im- 
mediately sought  after  those  who  wished  to.  learn 
the  gospel.  He  lived  with  a  Rev.  J.  J.  Wood,  of 
England,  and  had  a  room  in  the  dwelling  for  hold- 
ing meetings.  Here  was  the  "  church  in  the 
house." 

Every  day  converts  and  inquirers  came  to  meet 
him.     Few  came  at  a  time,  lest  the  officers  of  the 
city  should  forbid  any  to  go.     In  the  Lord's  way 
he  had  learned  their  language  at  Lisbon.     He  spoke 
it  as  a  "  gift  from  God,"  though  he  could  not  under- 
stand them  when  they  spoke.     *'  The  good  people," 
he  says,    "  are  so  anxious  to  be   understood,  that 
when  I  ask   them  to  speak  more   at  leisure,   they 
speak  all  the  faster  !"     Several  persons  applied  for 
admission   to  the  Lord's  table.     They  had   gained 
clear  views  from  the  Bible  respecting  Christ,  and  the 
last    supper.     One    lady,   whose    heart  overflowed 
with  love  to  the  Saviour,  said  she  would  rather  be 
put  to  death  than  to  be  silent  when  the  truth  was 
spoken   against.     She    "  could  not  but    speak  the 
thinors  she  had  heard." 

The  little  church  grew.  The  difficulty  was  to 
keep  too  many  from  crowding  the  room  at  one  time. 
Four  parents  came  one  Saturday  evening,  a  four 
hours*  walk,  and  brought  their  children  to  be  bap- 
tized on  Sabbath.  Soon  after  that  a  communion 
was  held,  in  the  evening,  "  the  doors  being  shut  for 
fear."     Thirty -four  converts    were    there,    with    a 


THE   YOUXa   MISSIONARY.  63 

happiness  they  never  had  known  before.  More 
might  have  been  admitted,  but  there  was  no  room 
in  the  house  ;  every  thing  had  to  be  done  in  the  most 
quiet  manner. 

Now  he  found  an  Apollos,  ^'mighty  in  the  Scrip- 
tures." Let  us  recite  the  beautiful  story.  Dr. 
Kalley  was  staying  one  summer  on  the  north  side 
of  the  island  to  enjoy  the  sea  bathing.  One 
day  an  almost  blind  carpenter  was  led  by  the  hand 
over  the  mountains,  to  consult  the  doctor  about  his 
eyes.  The  doctor  did  all  he  could  to  relieve  him. 
The  visitor  then  asked — as  few  did — what  he  had 
to  pay.  lie  was  told,  "I  do  not  want  money,  but 
if  God  blesses  the  remedies  and  you  wish  to  pay  me 
for  my  trouble,  I  would  like  you  to  learn  to  read 
the  word  of  God  and  do  as  he  bids  you."  The 
ignorant  carpenter  went  home,  taking  a  Bible  with 
him. 

The  next  summer  the  same  persons  met  at  the 
same  place.  The  carpenter  was  as  blind  as  at  first. 
But  he  had  learned  a  great  deal  from  the  Bible. 
He  would  speak  of  a  truth  and  say,  "  You  will  find 
the  proof  in  such  a  chapter  and  such  a  verse."  Ilis 
sight  had  been  restored — he  had  gone  to  school, 
learned  to  read,  read  the  Bible  with  prayer  for 
God's  teaching,  got  married,  and  lost  his  sight 
again — all  this  in  a  year.  He  was  asked  how  he 
had  learned  so  much  of  the  truth  in  so  short  a  time, 
and  replied,  "  Gud  could  teach  me  more  in  five 
minutes  !" 


64  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

This  carpenter  had  a  priest,  Padre  Vigario.     He 
one  day  went  to  the  priest  with  a  tract,  which  Dr. 
Kallej  had  given  him,  on  which  were  the  ten  com- 
mandments.   *'  Are  these  the  true  commandments  of 
God?"  he  asked.     The  priest  declared    they  were 
not.     He  abused  Dr.  Kalley  most  bitterly  for  giv- 
ing such  a  tract  to  be  read  in  his  parish.     But  the 
carpenter  was  determined  to  have  the  evidence  of 
his  senses,  for  he  could  now  see.     He  told  the  priest 
that  surely  he   had  a  Bible  of  his  own,  and  asked 
him  to  be  kind  enough  to  bring  it  forth  so  that  they 
might  compare  the  tract  with  the  record  in  Exodus. 
The  priest  at  first  refused,  but  was  forced  to  yield  at 
last.     The  Bible  was  brought.     The   priest   either 
could  not,  or  would  not  find  the  chapter.     He  turned 
to  the  beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  the  Bible.     So 
the  carpenter  took  it  and  at  once   turned  to    the 
20th  chapter  of  Exodus.     Then  giving  the  priest 
the  one,  he  read  the  other.     They  were  the  same. 
This  man  was  ^'  strong  in  the  gospel."    But  the  priest 
was  all  the  more  angry,  and  declared  that  if  the 
English  doctor  ever  entered  his  parish,  he  should 
not  leave  it  except  piecemeal ! 

This  victory  cost  the  carpenter  his  liberty.  Not 
long  after  he  was  visited  by  some  persons,  who  were 
carrying  a  little  flag  with  a  figure  of  a  pigeon  on  the 
top  of  the  staff.  They  asked  alms,  as  is  done  once 
a  year,  for  the  Holy  Ghost  !  They  knocked  at  the 
door,  were  invited  in,  and  then  begged  for  alms  for 
the  "Espirito  Santo"  (Holy  Spirit).     "  This  is  not 


THE   YOUNG    MISSIONARY.  65 

the  Esplrito  Santo,"  said  the  carpenter.  "  We 
know  no  other,"  they  replied.  *'  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  a  spirit,"  said  the  reasonable  man,  "and  that  is 
a  piece  of  cloth  fastened  to  a  stick."  The  men 
went  and  told  the  priest  Vigario  ;  the  priest  reported 
the  case  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  had  the  poor 
man  brought  to  court,  tried,  and  condemned  to  suf- 
fer in  the  common  jail.  In  Romish  countries  there 
seem  to  be  a  great  many  jails — one  always  close  by 
where  a  Bible-reader  is  arrested  !  He  was  there 
for  two  months,  but  this  did  not  convince  him  that 
the  parish  priest  was  right,  nor  that  the  Bible  was 
wrong.  This  man  came  to  Mr.  Hewitson  asking 
baptism  for  his  infant  child. 

There  was  a  poor  man  on  the  island  named  Jeron- 
ymo.  "When  seventeen  years  old  a  severe  illness 
made  his  mind  feeble,  his  hands,  head,  and  feet 
tremulous,  and  his  appearance  quite  boyish  and 
foolish.  When  Dr.  Kalley  first  saw  him,  he  was 
about  thirty  years  of  age.  He  had  learned  a  few 
words  of  French  and  English,  and  used  them  in 
begging  from  strangers.  He  was  an  idler  of  little 
account  to  any  one,  as  idlers  usually  are.  The  boys 
often  teazed  him,  and  laughed  at  his  stammering 
words  and  strange  gestures  when  angry. 

One  Sabbath  in  the  spring  of  1843,  the  police 
were  stationed  at  Dr.  Kalley's  door  to  prevent  or 
watch  any  persons  who  wished  to  hear  the  word  of 
God,  from  entering  the  house.  Jeronymo  took  a 
fancy  to  go  in.  One  or  two  persons  had  been 
6  * 


66  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

beaten  for  daring  to  enter,  but  tbe  police  did  not 
think  it  worth  their  while  to  hinder  poor  Jeronymo. 
The  time  for  worship  had  not  quite  arrived,  and 
some  of  the  family  thought  that  Jeronymo  was  sent 
there  to  do  some  mischief,  for  they  were  alarmed  at 
his  idiotic  appearance.  They  sent  him  away  with- 
out Dr.  Kalley's  knowledge.  But  God,  who  often 
chooses  the  weak  to  confound  the  mighty,  would  not 
let  Jeronymo  be  offended  and  go  away.  He  lingered 
about  the  gate.  In  the  afternoon  he  came  and  took 
his  seat  with  the  little  band  of  worshippers.  No  one 
invited  him  to  leave  this  time.  His  eyes  and  mind 
were  riveted.  With  open  mouth  and  staring  face 
he  sat  hearing  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  He 
learned  that  Jesus  had  died  for  poor  Jeronymo,  as 
well  as  for  John  and  Paul. 

He  came  aojain  and  agiain  to  the  house.  It  was 
the  best  place  he  could  find  in  the  city.  The  boys 
could  not  find  him  to  teaze  him  any  more.  He 
ceased  to  beg  from  strangers,  and  left  off  being 
idle.  He  contrived  to  support  himself  by  his  own 
hands.  Nor  was  this  all.  He  must  read  the  Bible. 
He  studied  and  prayed,  and  at  last  became  a  reader. 
He  told  others  about  the  true  religion  and  the  great 
and  good  book.  TKe  enemies  thought  that  he  was 
not  worth  their  persecuting  attention,  and  therefore 
he  could  labour  unharmed.  God  was  making  the 
foolish  confound  the  wise.  When  Dr.  Kalley  was 
in  jail,  this  poor  man  would  come  and  get  supplies 
of  Testaments  and  tracts  to  distribute,  or  sell  to 


THE   YOUXd    MISSIONARY.  67 

tbose  who  would  buy  thcra.  In  this  way  he  earned 
something,  and  became  very  useful  in  the  good 
work. 

When  the  enemies  saw  how  much  good  such  a  poor 
man  couUl  do,  they  resolved  to  stop  it.  Canon 
Telles,  a  dignitary  of  the  Romish  church  and  a  Jesuit, 
once  met  him  at  his  door,  offering  the  tracts  and 
Testaments,  and  he  gave  him  a  terrible  beating. 
Which  zeal  was  the  best,  that  of  the  Jesuit  for  his 
church,  or  that  of  the  humble  labourer  for  the  cause 
of  Christ  ? 

Jeronymo  was  put  into  jail,  but  this  was  no  great 
hardship  for  him,  for  he  had  never  seen  much  bodily 
comfort  in  this  world.  For  a  good  while  he  had 
slept  on  the  steps  of  some  house  so  as  not  to  be 
caught  and  beaten.  His  home  was  a  very  poor  one. 
It  was  a  little  hut,  in  which  his  sister  lived  with  an 
idolatrous  husband.  They  would  not  listen  to  the 
new  convert  as  he  rebuked  them  for  their  false  wor- 
ship, and  so  he  thought  it  was  not  best  to  live  with 
them  any  longer.  Some  one  asked  him  where  he 
slept  and  he  replied,  with  as  much  independence  as 
if  he  owned  a  palace,  that  he  could  sleep  quite 
well  at  any  door,  and  the  Lord  always  provided  him 
with  a  piece  of  bread. 

It  was  no  small  pleasure  to  him  to  be  in  the  same 
jail  with  Dr.  Kalley.  One  day  when  in  the  doctor's 
room,  the  conversation  turned  upon  the  resurrection 
of  the  body.  Poor  Jeronymo  looked  on  his  hands 
and  his  feet  very  much  grieved.     lie  could  not  feel 


68  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

happy,  in  thinking  that  the  same  hands  and  feet 
would  he  given  him  at  the  resurrection.  He  had 
hoped  to  he  freed  from  his  poor,  weak,  awkward  hody. 
He  was  then  told  that  if  he  died  trusting  in  Jesus, 
he  should  he  raised  up  "  like  to  His  glorious  hody." 
The  expression  of  his  face  was  instantly  changed. 
He  looked  again  at  his  trembling  limbs,  and  then 
gazed  upwards  with  wonder  and  delight,  at  the 
thought  of  having  that  body  made  like  the  Lord's. 

When  out  of  prison  he  did  all  he  could  during  the 
day  for  his  Master,  and  at  night  slept  on  the  steps 
again  whenever  he  could  find  a  place  not  exposed  to 
the  violence  of  the  enemies  of  Christ.  In  prison  or 
out  of  prison  he  was  happy.  One  day  he  came  to 
Mr.  Hewitson  and  heard  him  speak  of  the  "  hid 
treasure."  He  was  asked  if  he  understood  what  it 
meant.  He  came  forward  as  one  who  had  been 
bruised  by  severe  blows,  and  said  that  he  knew  what 
the  hid  treasure  was,  for  he  had  been  beaten  severe- 
ly the  night  before  because  he  loved  his  Saviour. 
Poor  Jeronymo  could  find  no  "  good  Samaritan" 
among  his  own  people,  unless  they  had  first  been 
taught  the  Bible. 

Two  or  three  would  come  to  the  young  mission- 
ary at  a  time,  and  others  would  wait  anxiously  for 
their  time  to  come.  They  often  were  not  cautious, 
and  would  linger  at  the  door  watching  for  it  to  be 
opened.  They  seemed  not  to  care  for  the  danger 
of  being  arrested  and  cruelly  treated.  Daily  there 
were  additions  to  the  church.     He   found  that  Mr. 


THE   YOUNQ    MISSIONARY.  69 

Wood's  house  was  too  small  as  well  as  too  public. 
So  he  rented  another  with  a  garden  on  each  side  of  it, 
where  the  people  might  not  be  watched  so  closely 
by  the  police.  His  health  was  still  feeble.  The 
wonder  is  that  it  did  not  entirely  fail.  It  should  be 
noticed  that  these  people  are  naturally  timid  and 
fearful  of  danger.  They  were  persecuted  at  home 
by  friends  and  suspicious  neiglibours.  Often  a 
man's  foes  were  thev  of  his  own  household.  Yet 
the  love  of  God  and  of  his  truth  made  them  bold. 

A  pony  had  been  left  by  Mr.  "Wood  for  the  young 
missionary  to  ride,  when  he  sought  the  refreshing 
air  on  the  hills,  or  the  music  of  the  waves  along  the 
shore.  Coming  toward  his  house  from  one  of  these 
rides,  he  saw  several  policemen  on  the  watch  about 
his  house.  He  rode  on  past  the  house,  and  these 
spies  continued  their  watch  for  two  or  three  hours 
and  then  left.  The  few  people  in  the  house  went 
home,  no  doubt  full  of  sorrow  that  their  pastor  must 
refrain  from  his  work.  He  wished  to  use  all  pru- 
dence, lest  these  disciples  should  be  beaten  with  many 
stripes,  have  their  houses  burned,  their  property 
taken  away,  and  their  privileges  denied  them  by 
arrest  and  imprisonment. 

The  curses  of  the  priest  fell  on  the  poor,  instead 
of  blessings.  A  poor  man  had  by  careful  earnings 
laid  up  seven  pence  to  pay  the  priest  for  confessing 
him.  He  offered  it  in  the  chapel,  but  the  priest 
turned  round  in  anger,  and  with  an  oath  "  hoped 
that  he  might  turn  as  black  as   his  hat  if  he  would 


70  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

ever  confess  a  man  for  less  than  ten  pence  !"  The 
poor  man  obtained  another  half  penny  and  offered 
that  also,  but  was  rudely  turned  off  with  a  curse. 
This  was  his  last  attendance  at  priestly  confession. 
He  learned  to  confess  his  sins  to  God,  who  invites 
us  to  come  "  without  money  and  without  price." 

Several  persons  were  examined  by  the  officers  in 
order  to  find  some  cause  for  an  arrest  of  Mr.  Hew- 
itson.  The  police  were  ordered  to  put  him  down  in 
some  way.  The  treaty  between  England  and  Por- 
tugal prevented  an  outrageous  attack.  Out  of  pru- 
dence he  discontinued  his  meeting  for  a  few  weeks, 
in  order  that  the  black  cloud  of  threats  might  blow 
over  a  little.  Yet  the  converts  were  bold,  and  their 
enemies  saw  that  imprisonment  was  a  poor  way  to 
cure  them.  The  lion  went  about  roaring,  for  he 
knew  not  what  to  do  with  this  devoted  pastor  and 
the  harmless  people. 

In  making  strong  the  church,  Mr.  Hewitson  took 
another  important  step.  Let  him  tell  it  in  his  own 
words,  dated  May  8th,  1845.  "  I  have  been  contem- 
plating the  ordination  of  three  or  four  elders.  On 
Tuesday  last,  I  intimated  to  a  godly  young  man,  that 
I  wished  him  to  become  an  elder,  asking  him  if  he 
would  object  to  undertake  the  office.  He  answered 
that  he  would  refuse  to  do  nothing  that  was  agree- 
able to  the  will  of  God  ;  and,  evidently  referring  to 
a  threatened  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  enemies  of 
the  truth  to  force  him  into  the  military  service,  he 
added,   that   he  would   gladly  enlist  himself  as  a 


TUE    YOUNG    MISSIONARY.  71 

soldier  to  defend  the  Lord's  cause  and  people.  The 
young  man  is  a  devoted  servant  of  God,  with  intense 
love  of  Bible  truth.  He  quotes  the  Scriptures  with 
great  readiness  and  felicity."  The  missionary  then 
proposed  that  this  young  man  should  be  assisted  in 
preparing  for  the  ministry.  "  The  time  may  be^ 
not  far  distant,"  he  says,  "  when  I  shall  be  obliged 
to  leave  Madeira  by  the  strong  arm  of  persecution, 
and  it  would  be  a  great  comfort  to  the  afllicted 
church  here,  amidst  their  privations,  to  have  the 
prospect  of  so  soon  receiving  ordinances  at  the  hands 
of  one  of  their  own  number."  Elders  were  after- 
wards ordained. 

May  12th,  he  writes,  "  The  horizon  is  becoming 
more  and  more  cloudy.  Two  or  three  days  ago  at 
a  dinner  party,  the  Bishop  of  Madeira  declared  ex- 
terminating war  against  the  Bible.  He  said  that 
he  had  all  the  authorities  on  his  side,*  and  he  was 
resolved  to  put  down  all  dissent  from  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  Yesterday  while  the  Bishop  was 
preaching,  he  fell  down  in  a  fit.  This  might  teach 
him  that  the  Lord  is  mightier  than  he." 

"An  excellent  young  man,  who  should  be  made 
an  elder  of  the  Portuguese  church  in  Madeira,  on 
a  person  saying  to  him,  *  that  the  church  of  Rome  is 
the  mother  of  us  all,'  had  replied,  "  Then  keep  her  to 

♦  Very  much  like  the  hoast  of  Sennacherib  in  2  Cbron.  xxxii.  10- 
18,  But  the  missionary  could  have  said,  "  There  be  more  with  ns 
than  with  him.  With  him  is  an  arm  of  fletsh ;  but  with  us  is  the 
Lord  our  God  to  help  us,"  ver.  7-8. 


72  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

yourself.'      He   was,    for   this,    sent   to    jail   four 
months." 

The  police  warned  him  not  to  continue  the  meet- 
ings in  his  house,  or  he  would  be  arrested,  and  the 
court  would  not  handle  him  mildly.  He  thought,  how- 
ever, that  it  was  better  to  violate  the  Portuguese 
law,  than  the  law  of  Christ,  and  so  he  cautiously 
held  meetings  under  cover  of  the  night. 

Aug.  24,  18-i4,  he  writes,  "  This  night  we  are 
at  eight  o'  clock  to  '  keep  the  feast'  in  secret,  and 
with  closed  doors  and  windows,  in  our  dining-room, 
with  this  poor  and  persecuted  little  flock  of  Christ. 
The  service  if  discovered  will  send  his  dear  servant 
to  prison,  but  the  Lord  is  his  keeper." 

The  jailer  was  very  kind  at  this  time.  He  al- 
lowed three  prisoners  to  get  out  on  parole,  and  go  to 
the  *'  Church  in  the  house."  He  knew  they  would 
come  back,  for  they  said  they  would.  He  knew 
that  these  Bible-readers  could  be  trusted.  Honour 
to  that  jailer  ! 

The  Lord  took  his  servant  out  of  this  danger. 
He  became  too  ill  to  labour  in  the  city,  and  sought 
rest  and  recovery  by  retiring  to  a  village  fifteen 
miles  distant.  Disease  crept  more  rapidly  upon  him. 
He  was  brought  back  to  Funchal,  in  a  hammock,  a 
mode  of  conveyance  in  this  mountainous  land.  Dr. 
Kalley  was  absent  in  Scotland.  The  physician 
almost  despaired  of  seeing  Hewitson  well  again. 
Nor  was  the  patient  very  hopeful.  He  said,  "  For  two 
or  three  days  I  scarcely  expected  recovery.     I  never 


THE   YOUNG    MISSIONARY.  73 

went  down  so  far  into  the  dark  valley,  nor  got  so 
steady  a  gaze  over  the  verge  of  time  into  the  depths 
of  eternity."  For  six  weeks  he  could  not  meet,  on 
Sabbath,  with  the  Scotch  congregation  worshipping 
there.  Yet  he  declared  that  these  were  the  "  sweetest 
T^eeks  he  ever  spent  in  Madeira."  A  friend  sent 
him  some  flowers  and  he  wrote  back,  *'  When  we 
find  the  Lord's  flowers  withering:  in  our  hands,  we 

should  not  vex  our  souls  as  we  are  apt  to  do fie 

is  not  hiding  his  face,  though  the  flowers  be  dry. 
He  would  have  us  be  ever  going  again,  through  tlie 
gentle  dropping  dews  of  prayer  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
to  knock  at  his  garden  gate,  and  ask  him  for  a 
fresh  gift  of  his  choicest  flowers.  He  withers  the 
flowers  we  have,  that  we  may  ask  for  more.  Oh 
matchless  love  of  Jesus  I  He  wishes  us  to  come 
a£i;ain  and  a^ain." 

This  sickness  gave  strenorth  to  his  heart  for  the 
good  work.  "  Out  of  weakness  he  was  made  strong." 
He  did  not  think  best  to  renew  the  public  meetings 
till  Dr.  Kalley  should  return,  lest  the  foe  should  get 
some  advantage.  But  he  set  on  foot  a  new  method. 
The  converts  should  hold  meetings  from  house  to 
house,  and  those  best  instructed  should  conduct  them. 
It  was  a  happy  plan.  He  organized  a  class,  who 
should  study  the  gospel,  in  order  to  be  qualified  to 
teach  others.  Some  came  eighteen  miles  to  attend 
it.  One  person,  just  released  from  jail,  was  asked 
to  lead  in  prayer,  but  feeling  his  need  of  learning 
and  good  language,  he  said,  "  Excuse  me,  for  I  can 
7 


74  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

only  pray  as  I  have  been  taught  by  the  Holy  Ghost !" 
Would  that  all  Christians  could  thus  learn  from  the 
Spirit  of  God  ! 

The  rage  of  the  enemy  waxed  more  terrible ;  more 
was  known  of  jails  than  of  churches  in  those  stormy 
days.  Hewitson  was  waiting  daily  for  the  call  of 
policemen  to  hurry  him  away  to  prison.  Dr. 
Kalley  returned  to  the  island.  The  missionary  was 
forbidden  to  preach  or  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
One  of  the  judges  was  ordered  to  arrest  him,  but 
declined.  The  Bishop  went  to  Lisbon  to  get  aid  to 
put  down  the  religion  of  Christ.  The  English  mer- 
chants were  forbidden  to  have  any  meetings  of  Por- 
tuguese in  their  houses.  It  seemed  best  for  Mr. 
Hewitson  to  retire  from  the  scene  for  a  little  while. 
But  he  felt  that  he  must  get  his  class  through  a 
good  course  of  study.  He  toiled  hard.  In  three 
weeks  eighty-seven  Portuguese  took  the  sacrament. 
There  were  hundreds — yes  thousands — ready  to 
listen  to  the  word  of  God,  but  the  hoof  of  oppression 
kept  them  down. 

One  cheering  fact  occurred,  just  when  the  enemy 
seemed  to  be  most  mighty.  "  A  few  minutes  ago," 
he  wrote,  "  I  have  heard  of  a  wicked  man's  conver- 
sion. His  wife  called  to  ask  me  to  visit  the  house." 
That  man  had  been  one  of  the  chief  tools  of  the 
angry  priests,  in  carrying  on  their  work  of  violenee. 
This  gave  more  of  an  impulse  to  priestly  rage,  while 
it  made  it  the  more  sad  for  the  young  missionary  to 
retire  from  the  field. 


THE  YOUNG   MISSIONARY.  75 

He  left  Madeira  in  May  1846,  intending  to 
return  after  a  few  months.  With  a  bounding  heart 
he  soon  excLaimed,  "Again  I  am  on  British 
ground !"  Toward  Madeira  his  thoughts  often 
turned.  He  heard  how  his  flock  were  being  scat- 
tered by  the  storm.  "  Ah  !  the  tidings  from  Ma- 
deira," he  writes,  "  are  truly  sad.  The  dear  people, 
hunted  like  wild  beasts  on  the  mountains  by  their 
savage  foes,  and  forced  on  the  resource  of  emigra- 
tion, as  the  only  means  of  escape  from  the  dreadful 
alternative  of  relapse  into  Popery,  or  of  suffering, 
it  may  be  in  many  cases  to  death.  One  man  brut- 
ally murdered  !  Several  women  beaten  almost  to 
death  !  Popery  would  exterminate  grace  itself 
from  the  earth  if  it  could  !" 

Of  Mr.  Hewitson's  labours,  Dr.  Kalley  wrote  : 
"  He  has  been  a  source  of  incalculable  good  to 
Madeira.  I  feel  myself  to  be  very  much  a  hewer 
of  wood  or  drawer  of  water." 


THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER    YII. 

LAWLESS    VIOLENCE — ENGLISH    LADIES    MOBBED. 

The  Misses  Rutherford  were  English  ladies  re- 
siding in  a  quiet  part  of  Funchal.  They  occupied 
a  summer  residence  called  the  "  Quinta  das  Angus- 
tias."  One  of  them  was  an  invalid,  unable  to  leave 
the  house.  A  Miss  Clarke  acted  as  her  nurse.  A 
young  Portuguese  lady,  an  orphan,  a  convert,  and 
a  teacher,  was  also  one  of  the  family. 

The  Misses  Rutherford  were  known  to  be  Protes- 
tants, and  friends  to  the  Bible-readers.  They  had 
allowed  some  of  the  Portuguese  women  to  come  and 
hear  the  Bible  read  in  their  house.  They  had  been 
'•  helpers  in  the  gospel."  It  was  resolved  by  their 
spies  and  foes,  that  they  should  be  driven  from  the 
island.  All  treaties  for  protecting  English  residents 
were  disregarded,  and  even  when  the  British  consul 
ought  to  have  shielded  them  from  harm,  nothing 
was  done.  They  were  exposed  to  the  rage  of  a 
mob. 

On  a  Sabbath  morning,  August  2nd,  1846,  a  com- 
pany of  thirty  or  forty  worshippers  of  God  met  in 
the  "Quinta    das  Angustias."     They  met  on  this 


LAWLESS    VIOLENCE.  <T 

holy  day  to  sing  praises,  offer  prayers,  read  the 
Bible,  and  hear  a  letter  from  Mr.  llewitson  their 
pastor,  then  absent  in  Scotland.  The  worship  was 
conducted  by  Mr.  Da  Silva,  a  man  of  influence  and 
learning,  who  had  left  all  and  followed  Jesus. 

During  these  hours  a  mob  was  collecting.  It 
was  not  headed  by  a  drunken  outlaw,  but  by  a  canon 
of  the  church,  an  officer  who  assisted  the  Bishop  in 
his  labours,  and  was  one  of  his  counsellors.  He 
was  a  Jesuit.  Educated  in  England,  he  had  seen 
something  of  what  power  the  Bible  had  over  the 
people.  He  had,  no  doubt,  come  from  the  Cathe- 
dral that  very  hour,  with  his  robes  upon  him,  and 
was  now  mustering  a  ruffian  rabble  to  attack  the 
peaceable  worshippers  in  the  Quinta. 

The  meeting  heard  Mr.  Hewitson's  letter  with 
deep  interest.  It  was  like  one  of  his  rich  sermons. 
A  few  words  from  it  would  do  us  good. 

"  I  remember  you  every  day  in  my  prayers  before 
God,  giving  thanks  to  him  who  called  you  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light. 

"  Life,  light,  salvation,  the  hope  of  glory,  all 
spiritual  and  eternal  blessings,  are  found  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord  ;  neither  can  they  be  found  any- 
where else.  Christ  is  the  storehouse  of  all  the 
heavenly  goods ;  Christ  is  the  treasurer  of  all  the 
riches  of  divine  goodness  ;  Christ  is  the  fountain 
from  which  rivers  of  living  waters  are  always  flow- 
ing;  Christ  is  the  Sun  of  the  highest  heavens,  which 
scatters  and  throws  all  the  rays  of  divine  wisdom 
7* 


78  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

and  knowledge  both  among  the  angels  above  and 
the  believers  below.  Whatever  blessing  you  need, 
seek  from  Christ  Jesus. 

*'If  ye  depart  from  Jesus,  ye  are  poor,  miserable, 
blind,  and  naked ;  ye  have  nothing.  Coming  to 
Jesus,  ye  become  partakers  of  his  riches,  his  white 
robes,  his  light,  his  wisdom,  happiness,  joy,  grace, 
and  love ;  his  kingdom  and  glory.  Come  therefore 
nearer  to  Jesus,  and  never  leave  off  living  and  walk- 
ing with  him.  Be  very  close  to  his  pierced  side. 
Hide  yourselves  within  his  heart.  Bathe  your  souls 
in  the  waves  of  his  eternal  love. 

"  If  you  do  not  trust  in  Christ  only,  you  cannot 
be  saved.  If  you  trust  in  your  tears,  prayers, 
works,  persecutions,  or  tribulations,  you  are  certain- 
ly wrong,  and  walk  far  from  the  way  of  salvation. 
Such  thi^s  are  not  Christ — such  things  are  not 
your  Saviour.  Do  not  trust  in  them,  but  only  in 
Christ. 

"  It  is  good  to  shed  tears  of  sadness,  thinking  on 
your  sins  ;  but  shed  them  looking  to  Christ  crucified. 
It  is  good  to  pray;  and  to  pray  more  and  more 
earnestly ;  but  you  ought  to  pray  trusting  only  in 
the  merits  of  Christ.  It  is  good  to  do  the  good 
works  of  faith  and  love ;  it  is  good  to  increase  more 
and  more  in  fortitude,  charity,  purity,  and  meekness; 
but  see  that  you  don't  put  any  confidence  in  your 
own  works.  It  is  good,  if  necessary,  to  suffer  per- 
secution, shame,  and  death  itself,  for  the  sake  of  the 
name  of  Jesus.     But  we  ought  always  to  remember, 


LAWLESS    VIOLENCE.  79 

that  it  is  not  for  the  sake  of  our  personal  sorrow 
and  suffering,  but  only  for  the  sake  of  the  sufferings 
which  Christ  endured,  that  we  are  saved. 

*'  If  we  have  Christ,  we  have  all  ;  without  Christ, 
we  have  nothing.  You  can  be  happy  without  money, 
without  liberty,  without  parents,  and  without  friends, 
if  Christ  is  yours.  If  you  have  not  Christ,  neither 
money,  nor  liberty,  nor  parents,  nor  friends,  can 
make  you  happy.  Christ  with  a  chain  is  liberty ; 
liberty  without  Christ  is  a  chain.  Christ  without 
anything  is  riches  ;  all  things  without  Christ  are 
poverty  indeed." 

Tears  must  have  fallen  from  the  eyes  of  these 
devoted  Christians,  so  soon  to  be  persecuted.  The 
meeting  was  held  until  after  twelve  o'clock.  As 
these  refreshed  worshippers  were  about  to  retire,  a 
mob  appeared  at  the  gate.  The  Jesuit  Canon  Telles 
was  heard  shouting  defiance  and  revenge.  Other 
priests  were  with  him. 

Mr.  Da  Silva  went  first  to  the  gate.  The  canon 
instantly  thrust  an  image  in  his  face,  and  bade  him 
*'  kiss  it"  and  "adore  his  God  !"  Da  Silva  calmly 
replied,  ^'Whydoyou  interfere  with  a  peaceable 
citizen  ?"  The  canon  then  abused  him,  with  the 
names  of  "heretic,  renegade,  apostate,"  and  other 
insults.  But  the  good  elder,  "  when  he  was  reviled, 
reviled  not  again." 

The  canon  then  knocked  oft'  his  hat  in  a  violent 
manner,  and  urged  on  the  mob.  Da  Silva,  after 
such  ill-treatment,  managed  to  escape,  and  three  or 


80  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

four  others  "with  him.  One  young  man  was  so  brut- 
ally attacked  that  he  retreated  into  the  house.  The 
rest  were  compelled  to  remain  within  doors.  The 
English  ladies  could  not  think  of  forcing  them  to 
leave  the  premises.  The  house  was  besieged  through 
all  the  afternoon. 

Dr.  Kalley  came  in  the  afternoon  to  visit  the 
sick  in  the  Quinta.  He  knew  nothing  of  the  mob 
until  he  rode  up  to  the  gate.  As  he  was  told  that 
the  sick  English  lady  was  in  need  of  medical  aid, 
he  felt  that  he  must  go  in,  though  the  mob  should 
rage  the  more.  Voices  hooted  at  him,  called  him 
abusive  names,  threatened  him,  and  shook  their 
fists  and  their  clubs.  When  he  came  back  he  was 
threatened  again,  and  his  groom  was  violently 
beaten.  The  mob  declared  that  they  would  kill  him 
if  he  dared  to  follow  the  doctor.  He  therefore  ran 
home,  struck  with  fear  and  horror,  reporting  that 
he  had  left  his  master  in  the  midst  of  a  murderous 
mob.  The  doctor  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode 
through  the  crowd  in  the  street,  and  some  hats  were 
lifted  in  respect  for  him,  and  some  voices  were 
heard  saying,  that  it  was  an  outrage  to  reward  him 
in  such  a  way  for  doing  good. 

The  mob  would  probably  have  disbanded  and  gone 
away,  had  not  Canon  Telles  and  the  priests  been 
determined  not  to  abandon  the  ground.  They  went 
about  through  the  crowd,  adding  oil  to  their  burning 
fury.  The  police  were  there,  but  they  did  not  dis- 
perse the  rioters.     No  law  was  read,  forbidding  such 


LAWLESS    VIOLENCE.  81 

outraojes.  The  scenes  that  fullowed  tlurln^  that 
night  of  violence  are  best  described  by  quoting  the 
words  of  an  eye  witness,  Lieut.  J.  K.  Tate,  in  the 
British  service  : 

**  Having  heard,  late  in  the  afternoon,  of  the 
painful  situation  in  which  the  Misses  Rutherford 
were  placed  by  the  threatening  attitude  of  the  mob, 
I  rode  down  to  the  Angustias,  with  a  view  to  afford 
them  any  protection,  counsel,  or  comfort  in  my 
power,  as  well  as  to  watch  the  further  motions  of 
the  people.  I  arrived  at  half-past  six,  when  I  found 
that  the  police  had  been  withdrawn.  Xhe  canon, 
however,  with  various  other  priests,  was  on  the 
ground,  and  an  unusual  number  of  persons  were 
walking  and  talking  in  the  neighbourhood.  I  ac- 
cordingly resolved  upon  returning  at  ten,  and  re- 
maining in  the  house  during  the  night,  should  my 
presence  be  required  by  the  ladies  under  the  cir- 
cumstances in  which  they  were  placed.  Soon  after 
ten  I  returned,  at  which  time  Conego  Telles  was  seen 
in  the  road,  with  a  crowd  of  people  talking  in  groups 
around  the  gate.  Through  them  I  was  permitted 
to  ride  in  quietly,  but  not,  as  we  afterwards  discov- 
ered, without  much  consultation  on  the  subject 
amongst  the  ringleaders  of  the  mob.  Being  out  on 
the  balcony  about  eleven  o'clock,  when  the  silvery 
moon  was  shining  peacefully  through  the  trellis  of 
the  verandah,  and  all  nature  quietly  reposing  in  the 
solemn  stillness  of  the  night,  the  sound  of  human 
voices  warned  us  that  the  mob  had  come  within  the 


82  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

gates.  "We  now  perceived  a  number  of  men  armed 
with  bludgeons  standing  at  the  front  door,  and  at 
once  warned  them  oflf  the  grounds. 

"  Miss  Rutherford  addressed  them  in  Portuguese, 
using  every  argument  to  induce  them  to  retire.  She 
reminded  them  that  their  appearance  thereat  such  an 
hour,  and  in  such  an  attitude,  was  contrary  to  all 
law,  while  their  conduct  was  seriously  endangering 
the  life  of  an  invalid  lady.  She  cautioned  them  to 
beware  of  illegal  proceedings ;  she  told  them  that 
they  might  surround  the  house  and  wait  for  daylight, 
or  send  for  the  police  if  they  suspected  there  was 
any  criminal  within ;  for  to  the  police,  with  a  legal 
warrant,  she  would  open  the  door  the  instant  the 
sun  was  up.  The  people  were  at  the  same  time 
assured  that  the  case  would  be  represented  in  the 
morning  to  her  Britannic  Majesty's  representative 
at  Funchal. 

"  To  this  they  replied  that  *they  did  not  care  for 
the  English  consul' — *  there  was  no  law  for  the 
Calvinists' — and  '  they  could  appeal  to  the  gover- 
nor.'* 'They  had  a  right,  they  said,'  '  to  do  what 
they  liked,  and  all  the  Portuguese  in  that  house 
should  die.'  They  then  insisted  on  immediate 
entrance,  or  that  the  Portuguese  should  be  delivered 
up  to  their  vengeance.  Both  were,  of  course,  re- 
fused, when  they  declared  their  intention  to  force 
their  way ;  with  the  threat  that  if  they  did  so  every 

*  The    subsequent  conduct   of  the  governor   fully  confirmed   the 
ideas  the  ruffians  had  been  led  to  form  of  him. 


LAWLESS   VIOLENCE.  83 

soul  they  found  within  shoukl  die.  A  low  whistle 
was  given  by  the  ringleaders,  which  was  immediate- 
ly answered  by  a  further  rush  of  men,  who  now 
amounted  to  fifty  or  sixty,  armed  with  clubs  and 
bludgeons.  Seeing  all  remonstrance  vain,  that  the 
people  were  partially  intoxicated  by  liquor,  and 
were  now  planting  their  comrades  in  all  directions 
round  the  Quinta,  we  retired  from  the  balcony  into 
the  house,  shutting  and  bolting  the  windows  as  we 
went.  Having  done  this,  we  repaired  to  the  chamber 
of  the  invalid,  and  committed  ourselves  unreserved- 
ly to  the  care  of  Him  who  alone  could  overrule  the 
will  of  his  enemies,  and  make  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  him. 

*'  In  a  short  time  the  smashing  of  the  windows, 
and  crash  of  the  bludgeons  on  the  door,  announced 
that  the  money  and  liquor  of  the  enemy  were  fear- 
fully doing  their  work.* 

"  Amidst  the  yells  of  the  mob,  the  cry  was  still 
heard  for  admittance  ;  when  Miss  Rutherford  again 
addressed  them  in  that  calm,  gentle,  temperate,  yet 
firm  and  dignified  manner  which  distinguished  her 
conduct  through  the  night.     One  of  the  ringleaders 

*  "  The  money  paid  on  this  occasion  waa  in  small  sums  of  3  bits 
(fifteen  pence)  and  upwards.  This  I  have  from  relatives  of  those 
who  actually  received  payment.  That  paid  to  the  ringleaders  on  the 
occasion  of  the  outrage  on  Dr.  Kalley's  residence  was  in  much 
greater  sums — large  subscriptions  having,  I  was  given  to  understand, 
been  raised   among    the  priests   and   men  of  property."    Rev.  Mr. 

MOBTON. 


84  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

desired  her  to  speak  in  English,*  but  she  answered 
that  '  she  spoke  not  for  his  ear  only,  but  for  those 
of  all  that  were  present.'  She  then,  in  the  most 
courteous  way  begged  them  to  withdraw,  urging  the 
danger  they  were  incurring  by  so  acting  in  violation 
of  the  law.  '  There  are  no  laws  for  Cahanists,'  was 
the  instant  reply,  showing  that  the  impression  pro- 
duced by  the  long  preceding  course  of  authorized 
persecution  was,  that  Christians  were  outlawed  by 
the  fact  of  being  readers  of  the  word  of  God,  with 
a  further  threat,  that  if  the  doors  were  not  immedi- 
ately opened  they  would  burn  the  house  to  the 
ground ! 

"  Another  smash  of  windows  followed,  and  one  of 
the  mob  called  out  aloud,  '  You  had  better  retire  or 
I'll  kill  you.'  Miss  Rutherford  sprang  back,  and 
a  huge  stone  fell  upon  the  spot  which  she  had  occu- 
pied but  the  moment  before.  The  smashing  at  the 
door  was  now  resumed  with  fearful  violence,  and 
repeated  at  short  intervals,  xls  each  blow  fell  upon 
the  windows  and  resounded  through  the  house,  a 
shudder  passed  over  the  invalid's  weakly  frame. 
And  though  I  am  sure  there  was  hardly  a  thought 
of  self  within  her,  yet  so  deep  was  the  sympathy 
evinced  for  her  suffering  sisters  in  Christ,  that  we 
expected  every  moment  would  have  severed  the 
spirit  from  the  body,  and  called  it  from  a  stormy 
world  to  '  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling, 
and  the  weary  are    at    rest.'     Each  crash  seemed 

*  So  that  the  mob  would  nut  uuderstaud  her  plea. 


■i 


LAWLESS    VIOLENCE.  85 

like  an  electric  shock,  pervading  every  nerve ;  so 
true  is  it  that  *  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in 
Christ,  and  every  one  members  one  of  another.' 
Thus  when  *  one  member  suffers,  all  the  members 
Buffer  with  it.'  1  Cor.  xii.  20. 

*'  Meanwhile  Miss  Rutherford  and  Clarke,  her  En- 
glish maid,  were  exerting  themselves  to  conceal  the 
poor  Christians  from  the  anticipated  murderous 
attack.  They  consisted  almost  exclusively  of  women ; 
of  harmless,  quiet,  inoffensive  females  !  But  they 
were  Protestants — they  had  not  been  to  mass,  nor 
had  they  lately  paid  the  fees  of  confession.  And  so 
their  sex  was  no  protection  from  the  bludgeon  of 
the  ruffian  !  They  were  marked  out  by  the  priest- 
hood for  vengeance,  and  the  end  was  to  justify  the 
means.  For  their  greater  security  they  were  hurried 
into  the  kitchen,  at  the  remote  end  of  the  house  ; 
that  being  the  apartment  likely  to  be  last  reached 
by  the  assailants,  and  from  which  there  was  a  stair- 
door  down  to  the  garden.  All  but  a  poor  blind 
man  were  shut  in  here  ;  and  he,  perhaps  the  happiest 
of  the  party,  was  put  under  a  bed  in  a  spare  room, 
over  which  some  dresses  were  carelessly  thrown  to 
conceal  him  from  view.  He  was  told  that  there 
was  no  help  but  in  his  God,  and  that  he  must  plead 
with  him  to  put  out  his  arm  and  save  him. 

"  We  also  commended  the  whole  of  our  party  to  the 

care  of  our  heavenly  Father,  praying  that  he  would 

be  to  each  of  us  individually  a  very  present  help  in 

this  our  time  of  trouble ;   that  he  would  teach  us  to 

8 


86  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

pray,  that  he  would  help  our  unbelief  and  confirm  our 
faith;  and  above  all,  that  he  would  uphold  us,  so  that 
not  one  of  our  number,  for  any  pains  of  death,  should 
fall  from  him.  The  seats  were  then  removed  from 
the  room  in  which  the  meeting  had  been  held. 
Bibles  and  bonnets  were  put  out  of  the  way,  so  that 
no  additional  cause  for  excitement  might  inflame  the 
rabble  as  they  entered.  Still  crash  succeeded  crash, 
and  blow  succeeded  blow  ! 

"  What  a  contrast,  thought  I,  between  those  with- 
out and  those  within  the  house  !  Here  was  peace 
and  confidence  ;  there  violence  and  hatred.  Here 
was  the  voice  of  Him  who  is  love  itself,  and  who  had 
permitted  the  storm  to  rise,  whispering  into  each 
one's  ear,  '  It  is  I ;  be  not  afraid  ;  my  grace  is  suf- 
ficient for  thee ;'  there  was  the  voice  of  Satan  urg- 
ing on  his  slaves  to  deeds  of  darkness  and  of  blood. 
Here,  in  a  word,  was  Christ ;  there  was  anti-Christ. 
Here  the  seed  of  the  woman ;  there  the  seed  of  the 
serpent.  Alas,  how  true  !  it  was  not  against  their 
countrymen  as  men  that  their  hatred,  their  rage, 
their  violence  had  been  raised,  for  many  of  those 
had  come  from  the  country,  and  were  personally 
unknown.  It  was  not  against  them,  but  against 
'Christ  in  them.'  It  was  Jesus  whom  they  perse- 
cuted. After  a  few  more  crushing  blows,  the  door 
of  the  house  flew  open.  Still  none  dared  enter. 
Portuguese  cowardice,  ready  enough  to  attack  the 
helpless,  aged  female,  and  the  blind,  shrank  from 
encountering  an  unknown  danger  in  the  dark.     The 


LAWLESS   VIOLENCE.  87 

ruffians  sent  for  lights,  which  they  made  'little  boys* 
carry  in  their  front !  They  tlien  searched  every 
room  in  the  lower  part  of  the  house,  but  in  vain. 
Their  victims  -svere  not  there. 

"Soon  after  midnight,  just  as  arrangements  were 
completed  above,  lights  were  distinguished  on  the 
staircase,  and  almost  immediately  they  entered  the 
drawing-room.  Off  this  room  was  the  invalid's 
chamber,  and  thither  the  rioters  directed  their  course. 
Six  or  eight  of  the  ruffians,  preceded  by  boys 
carrying  lights,  flashing  in  their  faces,  daringly  en- 
tered the  room  and  demanded  the  Portuguese  ;  plac- 
ing by  this  act  of  reckless  cruelty,  the  life  of  a  de- 
fenceless invalid  lady,  guiltless  of  crime,  in  the  most 
imminent  danger.  They  were  informed  that  the 
Portuguese  were  not  there,  and  would  not  be  given 
up  ;  and  desired,  moreover,  not  to  come  farther  into 
the  sick  lady's  room.  They  whispered  together  for 
a  few  minutes,  (every  moment  of  which  must  have 
been  an  agony  to  the  ladies,)  and  then  went  grum- 
bling and  muttering  away.  A  guard  being  left  in 
the  drawing-room,  they  proceeded  in  search  of  their 
victims ;  a  rather  tedious  process  by  the  way,  in  a 
house  with  twenty  bedrooms  and  six  sitting  rooms, 
besides  a  chapel  and  closets  of  all  kinds. 

"  At  length  we  heard  the  yell  of  triumph.  The 
victims  had  been  found.  Resistance  was  not  thought 
of,  but  they  were  all  on  their  knees  in  prayer  to 
God.  One  was  seized — his  head  laid  open  to  the 
bone,  and  himself  thrown  over  the  banisters  to  the 


88  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

ground.  Here  the  mob  was  beating  him  with  clubs 
and  dragging  him  out  to  be  murdered  in  the  garden, 
'for  it  is  a  less  crime,'  said  they,  '  to  kill  him  there.' 
At  the  very  moment  of  opening  the  door  by  which 
to  drag  out  their  intended  victim,  the  police  and 
soldiers  entered,  thus  catching  them  in  the  very  act 
of  outrage,  and  intended  murder  in  a  British  sub- 
ject's house.  The  mob  was  asked  by  what  authority 
they  had  entered  that  house,  to  which  they  replied 
that  '  they  did  not  care  for  authority  or  law.'  Two 
of  the  ruffians  were  then  secured,  marched  off,  and 
lodged  in  jail. 

"  The  rest  fled  through  the  house,  making  the 
ladies  fancy  for  a  moment  that  either  the  poor 
victims  were  rushing  to  us  for  shelter,  or  that  the 
villains  were  returning  to  add  us  to  the  number  of 
their  prey.  We  soon  discovered  that  the  police 
were  in  possession  of  the  kitchen,  and  taking  our 
party  under  their  charge,  they  conducted  them  in 
safety  to  their  homes.  No  sooner  had  the  invalid 
heard  of  the  safety  of  Christ's  little  flock,  than  nature 
showed  herself  completely  exhausted.  The  spirit 
indeed  was  strong,  but  the  flesh  was  weak.  She 
fell  into  a  state  of  complete  insensibility,  from  which 
she  had  not  recovered  when  I  left  the  house  in  the 
morning.  The  noise  had,  it  appeared,  been  heard 
in  the  town,  but  no  force  was  in  readiness  to  quell 
the  disturbance ;  or  in  ten  minutes  they  might  have 
reached  the  Angustias.  The  two  policemen  wlio 
heard  the  noise  were  insufficient  to  face  a  mob  ;  they 


LAWLESS   VIOLENCE.  89 

hurried  off,  therefore,  for  military  aid.  Thus,  not 
the  foresight  of  the  magistrate,  nor  the  vigilance  of 
the  government,  but  the  length  of  time  spent  in 
searching  the  house,  and  the  native  cowardice  of 
the  Portuguese,  were  instrumental  in  the  hands  of 
an  all-wise  and  all-merciful  Providence,  towards 
bringing  deliverance  to  his  persecuted,  but  not  for- 
saken ones. 

'•  In  the  morning,  at  the  request  of  Miss  Ruther- 
ford, I  officially  reported  the  outrage  to  the  consul, 
*  in  order  that  he  might  take  such  steps  as  he  might 
be  pleased  to  think  the  case  demanded  as  represen- 
tative of  the  British  crown.*     I  also  beo:ored  him  to 

CO 

adopt  such  measures  as  might  be  necessary  to  pro- 
tect British  life  and  property  from  any  repetition 
of  violence,  the  door  being  so  smashed  in  that  any 
one  could  enter  the  premises  at  pleasure.  This 
letter  I  delivered  in  person,  but  soon  found  how 
little  we  had  to  expect  either  in  sympathy  or  assis- 
tance at  the  hands  of  the  representative  of  British 
majesty.  The  subject  was  treated  with  the  greatest 
coldness  and  indifference.  More  regret  was  ex- 
pressed at  the  meeting  of  a  few  Protestants  for  prayer 
and  praise  in  the  morning,  than  indignation  at  the 
violation  of  British  rights  and  honour,  and  the 
danger  to  which  the  lives  of  British  subjects  were 
exposed  at  the  hands  of  a  lawless  mob  at  night. 
Although  I  looked,  and  still  look  at  the  outrage  as 
an  affair  to  be  judged  of  wholly  irrespective  of  the 
meeting  or  any  other  circumstance  whatever,  I 
8  * 


90  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

ventured  to  assure  the  consul  that  not  a  word  had, 
at  that  meeting  of  friends,  been  uttered  against  the 
religion  of  the  state,  which  alone,  according  to  Por- 
tuguese interpretation  of  the  law.  could  make  such  a 
meeting  illegal. 

'•Besides.  I  added,  had  all  the  laws  of  Portugal 
been  broken.  Miss  Piutherford  was  amenable  to  those 
laws,  and  to  those  laws  only,  and  till  tried  and  con- 
demned bv  them,  was  surely  entitled  to  protection 
from  her  countrv.  She  should  not  be  criven  over  to 
the  tender  mercies  of  a  Romish  priest  and  his  reck- 
less mob.  The  consul  admitted  that  the  outrage 
was  unjustifiable:  and  he  *  hoped."  and  'trusted,' 
and  *  felt  assured"  that  the  offenders  would  bp 
punished.  I  suggested  that  in  my  humble  opinion 
the  British  government,  in  a  case  of  such  gross  vio- 
lation  of  British  property,  ^c.  was  entitled  to  demand 
that  active  measures  should  be  taken  by  the  au- 
thorities for  the  arrest  of  the  offenders  :  or.  at  least, 
that  due  punishment  should  be  ensured  to  the  two 
persons  captured  on  the  previous  night  under  cir- 
cumstances that  could  a'imit  of  no  kind  of  doubt  as 
to  their  guilt. 

'•  So  far.  however,  from  this  being  likely  to  follow, 
I  told  him  that  no  authority  of  any  kind  had  been 
near  the  scene  of  outrage  :  nor,  so  far  as  I  could  see, 
were  anv  steps  being  taken  for  the  furtherance  of 
the  ends  of  justice.  The  consul  stated,  in  reply, 
that  it  was  a  case  for  the  courts  of  la^s■.  and  not  for 
him  to  interfere  iri  !     I  then  asked  the  consul  as  to 


LAWLESS    VIOLENCE.  01 

the  protection  which  the  Misses  Rutherford  might 
expect  to  their  lives  and  property  during  the  night ; 
when  (will  the  reader  believe  rae  when  I  say  ?)  the 
representative  of  Great  Britain  referred  them  to  the 
office  of  police  !  *  The  head  of  police  would,  he  had 
no  doubt,  provide  them  with  a  sufficient  force  !'  " 

"  Such  outrages  were  committed  on  the  2nd  of 
August,  1846.  Neither  the  British  consul  nor  the 
Portuguese  authorities  made  any  efforts  to  prevent 
their  repetition.  The  leaders  of  the  mob  well  un- 
derstood the  disposition  of  the  authorities,  and  were 
encouraged  in  their  work. 

"Such,  I  may  add,  were  some  of  the  consequences 
directly  arising  from  the  breach  of  the  peace  by  a 
canon  of  the  cathedral  church  of  Funchal,  Carlos 
Telles  de  Menezes,  a  dignitary  of  the  church  of 
Rome!!!" 


92  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

NARROW   ESCAPE    OF    DR.    KALLEY. 

The  enemies  now  found  how  far  they  might  dare 
to  go  in  deeds  of  violence.  They  need  fear  nothing 
from  the  governor,  nor  police,  nor  British  consul. 
It  was  in  the  power  of  the  governor  and  consul  to 
restore  order.  A  resolute  word  from  them  would 
have  put  the  rioters  in  fear.  They  were  solemnly 
bound  by  their  oaths  of  office  to  protect  all  whose 
lives  and  property  were  assailed.  British  Protest- 
ants could  claim  the  protection  of  all  they  had,  by 
the  treaty  between  England  and  Portugal.  It  was 
said  expressly — "  Their  dwelling  houses,  warehouses, 
and  everything  belonging  thereto,  shall  be  respected, 
and  shall  not  be  subjected  to  any  arbitrary  visits 
of  search."  It  also  secured  them  the  right  to  wor- 
ship God  without  any  opposition. 

The  one  man  against  whom  the  malice  was  strong- 
est, was  Dr.  Kalley.  It  was  determined  to  attack 
him  very  soon.  Through  the  week,  after  the  attack 
on  the  Quinta  das  Angustias,  he  was  often  insulted. 
His  name  was  called  aloud  in  the  streets,  and  he 
was  threatened.     The  cries  of  "  Calvinistas,"  (Cal- 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    DR.    K ALLEY.  93 

vinists,)  and  "  Kallistas,"  (Kalleyitcs,)  were  very 
loud  in  reproach  of  the  Protestants.  Large  com- 
panies of  men  marched  through  the  city  declaring 
that  all  Protestants,  foreign  and  native,  should  be 
destroyed. 

Miss  Rutherford,  before  leaving  the  island,  asked 
such  protection  as  even  an  enemy  would  give,  if 
there  were  any  mercy  for  the  defenceless  and  the 
sick.  But  it  was  refused.  From  the  head  of  the 
police  she  received  the  following  message  : 

"  That  he  (the  police  magistrate)  would  not  con- 
tinue to  protect  Miss  Rutherford's  house  so  long  as 
Portuguese  were  admitted  to  hold  divine  worship,  or 
any  that  had  been  known  to  assemble  themselves 
together  were  permitted  to  frequent  the  place."  And 
he  further  required  from  her  a  promise  in  writing 
*'  that  no  meeting  should  be  held  in  her  house."  To 
this  impudent  and  daring  threat  Miss  Rutherford 
replied  by  stating  to  the  consul  her  thorough  con- 
viction that  no  Portuguese  law  prohibited  such 
meetings,  in  which  nothing  was  said  against  the  re- 
ligion  of  the  state.  At  the  same  time,  as  protection 
was  otherwise  refused  to  the  lives  and  property  of 
herself  and  family,  she  requested  him  to  give  such 
promise  in  her  name,  if  he  considered  the  giving  of 
such  a  promise  "  extorted  by  threats,"  and  which  no 
law  and  no  treaty  gave  the  magistrate  any  right  to 
prescribe,  was  compatible  with  the  honour  of  the 
British  nation.  If  not,  she  demanded  protection 
from  him.     She  was  the  more  earnest   because  her 


94  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

friends  thought  that  her  sick  sister  could  not  endure 
the  removal  from  the  house. 

No  such  protection  was  granted,  but  she  was 
ordered  to  remove  as  soon  as  possible.  The  threats 
against  these  innocent  ladies,  and  the  kind-hearted 
Dr.  Kalley,  became  more  tierce  during  the  week. 
Knives  were  packed  away  in  a  house  near  the 
Quinta  das  Angustias.  The  rioters  were  spying  out 
the  Christians.  One  of  the  leaders  was  heard  to 
say,  "  If  Dr.  Kalley  escapes  this  time,  he  must  be 
the  devil !" 

A  letter  was  addressed  by  Dr.  Kalley  to  the  police 
magistrate,  informing  him  of  the  facts  of  the  case. 
The  bearer  of  the  letter  was  seized  in  the  street,  by 
some  "  gentlemen,"  as  they  were  called,  and  beaten 
severely,  so  that  he  was  forced  to  give  up  the  letter. 
Dr.  Kalley  then  wrote  to  the  governor  a  statement 
of  the  facts. 

The  governor,  in  a  very  insulting  letter,  replied, 
that  the  British  residents  on  the  island  were  looked 
upon  with  "mistrust  and  disgust,"  and  that  the 
disturbance  "  was  the  fruit  of  the  tree  he  had  planted 
on  the  island,  and  it  could  produce  nothing  but  dis- 
cord and  trouble  !"  Just  so  the  apostles  were  falsely 
accused  of  having  turned  the  world  upside  down ! 

To  this  insulting  letter  Dr.  Kalley  sent  a  manly, 
respectful,  and  Christian  reply.  He  recited  the 
events  of  the  previous  Sabbath,  and  said :  "  The 
authorities  are  not  ignorant  of  the  facts.  They 
are  notorious   to   your   excellency,  to   the   public 


NARROW    ESCAPE   OF   DR.    KALLEY.  95 

prosecutor,  to  the  British  consul,  and  to  the  whole 
population  of  Funchal.  The  actual  state  of  the 
house  speaks  volumes,  but  not  one  of  the  authorities, 
either  British  or  Portuguese,  has  jet  looked  near  it. 
The  criminals  are  not  unknown — two  of  them  were 
in  the  power  of  the  authorities — actually  in  prison 
— and  were  set  at  liberty !  Why  does  the  public 
prosecutor  not  raise  an  action  against  those  guilty 
of  so  public  an  outrage,  unless  it  be  true  that  the 
authorities  do  not  choose  to  repress  the  disturbances 
by  the  punishment  of  the  offenders  ? 

'"  Houses  have  been  broken  into,  and  the  inmates 
beaten  nearly  to  death.  Other  houses  have  been 
set  on  fire  at  midnight,  and  burned  to  the  ground, 
and  the  authorities  have  not  given  any  public  de- 
monstration of  disapproval.  Not  one  of  the  crim- 
inals has  been  punished ;  and  when  ruffians  are 
arrested  by  the  police  *  in  flagrante,'  in  a  British 
subject's  house,  they  are  forthwith  set  at  liberty. 
The  assailants  are  released — the  assailed  are  im- 
prisoned and  condemned  in  virtue  of  laws,  respect- 
ing which  the  judge,  in  the  very  sentence,  declared 
that  they  are  abolished. 

"Further  the  master  of  police  dares  to  refuse 
protection  to  British  life,  and  British  property,  ex- 
cept on  condition  of  British  subjects  making  promises 
which  no  law  and  no  treaty  ever  conveyed  to  him 
any  right  to  exact ;  and  for  the  want  of  energetic 
interference,  the  residence  of  British  citizens  is  ac- 
tually placed  in  a  state  of  siege. 


9^  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

"  If  the  authorities  choose  to  proceed  in  such  a 
"way,  the  verdict  of  the  world  as  to  the  cause  of  the 
disturbances  cannot  be  doubtful.  The  attempt  of 
the  authorities  to  throw  the  blame  upon  others,  will 
only  serve  to  remind  the  world  of  Nero,  blaming  the 
Christians  for  the  burning  of  Rome. 

"A  large  loose  rock,  on  the  steep  side  of  a  hill, 
may  be  easily  kept  in  its  place  as  long  as  it  is  at 
rest ;  but  once  in  motion,  how  terrific  its  course,  as 
it  sweeps  and  bounds  impetuously  down  the  mountain 
side,  bearing  destruction  along  with  it  !  Who  can 
arrest  it?  So  it  is  with  the  power  of  a  lawless 
mob." 

Like  the  apostle  Paul,  when  falsely  accused,  h6 
referred  to  his  past  life  in  proof  that  he  was  aiming 
to  secure  the  best  interests  of  men.  ''  My  aim  has 
uniformly  been  to  promote  the  health,  comfort  and 
happiness  of  the  Madeirans,  as  far  as  is  in  my 
power.  I  have  never  taught  anything  at  variance 
with  the  doctrines,  that  men  have  one  Father,  the 
living  and  true  God,  that  we  are  all  brethren,  and 
that  our  common  Father  commands  all  his  children 
to  love  one  another,  not  in  word  only  but  in  deed 
and  truth. 

"  I  have  never  taught  a  syllable  at  variance  with 
the  glorious  truth,  that  when  we  had  all  offended 
that  most  gracious  Father,  and  deserved  the  doom  he 
had  denounced,  a  Friend  from  heaven — a  partner  with 
the  Father  in  his  throne — loved  us,  died  for  us,  re- 
deemed us  with  his  blood,  and  thus  laid  us  under 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    DR.    KALLEY.  97 

Still  raore  powerful  obligation  to  love  our  Lord — to 
love  one  another — to  love  all  men,  even  our  enemies ; 
and  such  doctrines  are  diametrically  opposed  to  all 
disturbance,  injustice,  and  crime. 

"  I  am  bold  to  say,  that  my  conduct,  and  that  of 
those  who  hold  similar  religious  sentiments,  has 
never  been  such  as  to  give  any  reason  to  suppose 
that,  in  my  creed,  I  approve  of  any  kind  of  moral 
evil.  No  one  has  ever  dared  to  charge  me  with 
teaching  any  man  to  defraud  or  injure  his  fellow- 
man.  Amid  all  the  disturbances  that  ever  occurred 
at  Madeira,  there  never  was  an  instance  in  which 
those  who  agree  with  me  in  my  religious  views,  were 
the  aojorressors  ;  and  among  innumerable  cases  of  un- 
provoked,  atrocious  cruelty  practised  against  them, 
they  have  never,  with  one  exception  been  charged 
with  striking  a  blow,  even  in  self-defence  ;  for  they 
have  learned  of  Him,  who  was  meek  and  lowly  of 
heart — who,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again 
— when  he  suifered,  he  threatened  not,  but  com- 
mitted himself  to  Him  who  judgeth  righteously.  I 
feel,  therefore,  most  fully  borne  out  in  repudiating 
the  charge  which  your  excellency  has  brought  against 
me,  as  the  cause  of  the  disturbances  referred  to  ; 
and  am  convinced  that,  on  an  extensive,  unprejudiced 
investigation  of  facts,  your  excellency  will  exonerate 
me  from  the  charge." 

The   governor  was  now  as  silent    as  the    police 
magistrate  had  been.     Dr.  Kalley  then  wrote  to  tlie 
British  consul,  whose  name  we  now  withhold,  lest  it 
9 


9S  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

shame  some  honest  and  brave  man  that  bears   the 
same  good-sounding  name.     In  this  he  said, 

"  The  rioters  must  feel  that  the  conduct  of  all  the 
authorities  implies  an  approbation  of  their  proceed- 
ings, inferior  only  to  the  issuing  of  an  edict,  or  the 
offering  of  a  reward  for  their  perpetration  ;  and  they 
are  accordingly  becoming  daily  bolder,  so  that  on 
the  night  of  the  5th  instant,  and  last  night,  their 
threats  "were  such  that  from  sixty  to  eighty  individ- 
uals felt  themselves  obliged  to  flee  from  their  houses 
for  their  lives,  and  spend  the  night  in  the  moun- 
tains. 

*'I  have  received  vrarning  from  various  Portuguese 
gentlemen,  that  the  rioters  threaten  to  attack  my 
house,  and  two  or  more  other  British  houses  within 
the  next  eight  days  ;  and  as  your  inattention  with 
respect  to  Miss  Rutherford's  case  has  favored  the 
presumption  that  our  government  will  not  interfere, 
whatever  atrocities  be  committed  upon  us,  it  seems 
highly  probable  that  an  attack  will  be  made. 

"  From  the  conduct  displayed  towards  the  Misses 
E-utherford,  (who  had  broken  no  laws,  and,  if  they 
had,  should  have  been  tried  by  the  law,  and  not 
left  to  the  mercy  of  an  infuriated  mob,)  and  towards 
the  rioters  ;  it  is  impossible  to  regard  the  authorities 
otherwise  than  as,  at  the  very  least,  conniving  at 
the  outrage,  and  therefore  responsible  for  all  the 
results. 

"  If  you,  in  your  official  capacity,  do  not  demand 
the  adoption  of  such  measures  as   shall  effectually 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    DR.    K ALLEY.  99 

secure  British  subjects  against  the  repetition  of  such 
atrocities,  I  am  convinced  that  my  life  and  property 
will  be  in  danger;  and  if,  from  your  non-interfer- 
ence, similar  atrocities  be  again  perpetrated,  our 
country  will  justly  look  to  you  as  responsible  for 
them  all. 

"  I  believe  it  is  intended  that  an  attack  shall  be 
made  on  other  places,  at  the  same  time  as  upon  my 
house,  so  as  to  afford  a  pretence  for  no  aid,  under 
the  plea  that  the  police  ^ere  occupied  elsewhere." 

Saturday  came,  and  the  signs  were  plenty,  that 
the  mob  intended  an  attack  on  Sabbath,  just  one 
week  after  the  exploits  of  Canon  Telles  in  attacking 
the  house  of  some  innocent  ladies.  Dr.  Kalley  sent 
this  message  to  the  consul : 

"  ^th  of  August. — For  several  days  the  vocifera- 
tions, threats,  and  abuse  uttered  by  the  lower  orders, 
when  passing  my  house,  have  been  incessant ;  and 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  be  disgraceful  to  a  country 
professing  to  be  civilized.  They  are  never  inter- 
fered with.  Every  one  who  goes  out,  or  in  to  my 
house,  is  assailed  with  a  volley  of  abuse,  whatever 
be  their  religious  opinions  ;  and  during  the  last  night 
my  family  was  repeatedly  alarmed  by  parties  bat- 
tering at  my  door  with  sticks. 

"  2nd  P.  S. — Noon.  I  enclose  an  anonymous 
letter  just  put  into  my  hands,  which  I  beg  you  will 
return  to  me.*     I  must  repeat  that  I  am  fully  con- 

*  Tho  anonymous  letter  contained  a  correct  prof^ratnuie  of  what 
was  planned  fur   tho  next  day,  in   mobbing   Dr.  Kalloy  in  hid  own 


100        THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 

vinced  that  this  comes  of  liberating  the  prisoners, 
and  other  conduct  of  the  authorities ;  and  if  ener- 
getic measures  be  not  instantly  adopted,  I  shall  feel 
myself  obliged  to  deliver  up  the  key  of  my  property 
to  you  for  protection,  as  I  cannot,  with  a  couple  of 
servants,  defend  it  against  a  mob." 

Dr.  Kalley  began  the  work  of  turning  his  dwell- 
ing into  a  fort.  Two  ruffians  disguised  as  towns- 
men came  and  stationed  themselves  at  the  door, 
watching  all  that  passed.  About  six  o'clock  on 
Saturday  evening,  ten  or  twelve  soldiers  marched 
up  as  a  guard  to  the  house,  and  were  posted  in  a 
cottage  at  the  entrance  of  the  grounds.  Dr.  Kalley 
asked  them  if  they  knew  why  these  threats  were 
made  against  him.  They  replied  that  "  they  fan- 
cied it  was  because  he  was  opposed  to  the  saints. "  He 
told  them  that  this  was  a  great  mistake,  for  instead 
of  being  opposed  to  them,  it  was  his  greatest  aim 
and  wish  to  be  one  of  the  happy  number.  The 
person  in  charge  of  the  guard  then  added,  "Well,  I 
don't  know,  but  the  authorities  think  these  things 
have  lasted  long  enough." 

"  From  these  ominous  words,  and  from  preceding 
events,  the  doctor  felt  assured,  writes  an  eye  witness, 
that  the  authorities  would  be  in  no  hurry  to  come 
to  his  protection,  and,  therefore,  returned  to  finish 
the  barricading  of  the  house  by  every  additional 

house.  And  yet  the  consul  did  nothing  !  Yes,  he  did  go  the  next 
day  and  look  on  the  scene  of  violence  against  one  of  his  own  coun- 
trymen I 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    DR.    KALLEY.  101 

means  that  he  could  contrive.  In  the  meantime  five 
or  six  of  the  soldiers  kept  watch  at  the  gates,  whilst 
their  comrades  remained  in  the  cottage. 

*'  At  ten  o'clock,  a  friend  of  Dr.  Kalley's  acci- 
dentally met  a  boy  returning  from  Santa  Luzia,  with 
a  load  of  iron  bolts,  which  he  knew  had  been  ordered 
for  the  barricading  of  his  house.  He  accordingly 
stopped  the  lad,  and  on  enquiring  the  reason  of  his 
not  delivering  them  at  the  doctor's  house,  was  told, 
*  that  he  could  not  gain  admittance,  and  that  the 
soldiers  had  said  they  were  not  required  !*  The 
doctor's  friend  then  accompanied  the  boy  back  to 
the  house,  and  assisted  the  doctor  in  completing  his 
work. 

"  About  two  in  the  morning,  all  had  been  done 
that  seemed  possible  in  the  way  of  defence,  and  as 
Dr.  Kalley's  friend  was  leaving,  the  doctor  accom- 
panied him  to  the  outer  gate.  Providentially,  on 
reaching  it,  they  overheard  the  guard  in  a  familiar 
conversation  with  men,  either  masked,  or  with  their 
faces  blackened  ;  one  of  whom  was  sharpening  a 
large  knife  on  the  door  lintel,  preparatory,  as  he 
said  in  Portuguese,  to  the  *  killing  on  the  morrow  !' 
When  several  had  gathered  together,  they  fnrther 
heard  them  consulting  as  to  whether  they  should  go 
in  then — the  soldiers  being  still  in  their  company. 
One  said,  '  No,  there  will  be  plenty  of  time  for  all 
to-morrow.'  Another,  '  Nay,  but  let  us  go  in  now;* 
and  the  gate  moved  a  little  on  its  hinges.  Now 
this  had  been  left   shut,  so  that  it   could  not    have 


102  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

been  opened  but  from  within  ;  and  when  found 
open,  it  was  evident  that  the  soldiers  were  traitors,* 
and  had  come  from  the  cottage  and  opened  it.  A 
female  servant  was  near,  and  when  she  saw  it  move, 
she  instantly  shut  it  with  all  her  force  ;  and  having 
the  key  with  him,  the  doctor  locked  it.  Convinced 
of  the  treachery  of  his  guard,  and  that  he  had  now 
no  longer  any  security  to  his  life,  he  returned  with 
his  friend  into  the  house,  to  consult  as  to  what  should 
be  done.  After  committing  themselves  to  God  in 
prayer,  and  casting  all  their  care  upon  Him  who 
'  careth'  for  his  people,  they  felt  satisfied  that  the 
most  prudent  course  was  to  withdraw  from  the  house. 
Dr.  Kalley  therefore  disguised  himself,  as  hurriedly 
as  possible  in  the  country  dress  of  a  peasant,  and 
stealthily  and  silently  withdrew. 

"  It  was  a  glorious  moonlight  night, — too  clear  to 
be  favourable  for  his  escape,  but  there  was  no  time 
for  delay.  He  passed  through  his  own  grounds  as 
cautiously  as  if  he  had  been  a  thief,  and  fearing  as 
much  to  meet  a  ruffian  there,  as,  in  other  circum- 
stances, a  ruffian  would  have  been  to  meet  the  right- 
ful owner  !  Having  reached  the  boundary,  he 
looked  carefully  round  ;  but  seeing  no  watch  on  this 

*  "  The  soldiers  were  ■well  aware  that  what  was  about  to  happen 
was  both  agreeable  to  the  government,  and  encouraged  by  the 
priests ;  and,  therefore  their  present  conduct  and  bearing  to  the 
leaders  of  the  mob.  Had  they  been  called  upon  to  act  on  the  morrow 
by  their  officers — or  that  night  instructed  by  their  superiors  to  do 
their  duty,  I  cannot  doubt  that,  as  soldiers,  they  would  have  un- 
hesitatingly have  done  so." 


NARROW   ESCAPE   OF   DR.    KALLEY.  103 

Bide  of  his  property,  he  descended  the  wall,  to  creep 
along  the  vineyards  in  his  front.  What  a  spectacle 
"was  here  presented  !  The  best  and  kindest  friend 
that  had  ever  visited  Madeira — he  that  had  spent 
eight  long  years  in  active  exertions  to  benefit  her 
people — who  had  been  by  night  and  by  day  minis- 
tering to  their  wants,  at  the  bedside  of  their  sick 
and  their  dying,  and  had  been  the  means,  under 
Providence,  of  restoring  thousands  of  them  to  health 
and  strength  ; — was  now  leaving  his  home,  at  dead 
of  night,  unattended  and  alone.  He  was  fleeing 
for  his  life  !  The  stars  were  shining  in  beauty 
above — the  mountains  rising  in  noble  grandeur  on 
his  right ;  rich  vineyards  lay  before  him,  and  on  his 
left  appeared,  over  the  city,  the  calm,  placid,  silvery 
ocean. 

"  All  was  still.  The  winds  were  hushed.  It  was 
the  Lord's  day  morning.  No  sound  broke  the 
sacred  stillness  of  that  hour.  All  contrasted  fear- 
fully with  the  tempest  which  the  demons  of  supersti- 
tion and  persecution  had  raised  in  the  hearts  of 
some  of  that  deluded  people !  Having  descended  a 
little  way,  the  sound  of  voices  broke  upon  his  ear, 
and  fearing  it  might  be  a  watch  of  enemies,  he 
turned  aside.  But  after  a  few  more  alarms  especially 
from  meeting  people  in  the  way,  and  from  the  watch- 
dogs of  the  peasants,  he  reached  the  Pinheiros  in 
safety,  the  Quinta  in  which  I  was  residing  with  my 
invalid  sister  and  mother.  This  was  a  little  after 
three  o'clock.     He  leapt  the  wall,   gently  tapped, 


104  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

and  was  received  by  those  within  with  fervent  grat- 
titude  for  his  escape  from  the  assassins  who  sought 
his  life.  With  deep  anxiety  had  the  attention  of 
all  in  the  Pinheiros  been  directed,  for  nights  past, 
to  the  residence  which  he  had  now  been  compelled 
to  desert ;  and  our  eyes  had  been  intently  fixed  on 
the  spot,  almost  to  the  moment  when  Dr.  Kalley 
made  his  appearance  in  person.* 

''  In  the  home  which  he  had  left  there  were  hearts 
beating  anxiously  for  him  ;  and  we  lost  not  a  moment 
in  exhibiting  the  appointed  signal  of  his  safe  arrival. 
This  being  seen,  the  rest  of  the  inmates  of  the  house 
consulted  for  their  personal  safety.  An  old  and 
faithful  servant  buried  the  silver  plate — a  few  im- 
portant documents  were  secured,  and  they  left  the 
dwelling  where  the  ignorant  had  been  instructed, 
the  mourner  comforted,  the  sick  attended,  and  anxious 
trembling  sinners  directed  to  the  blood  that  '  clean- 
seth  from  all  sin,'  but  against  which  the  leaders  of 
the  misguided  people  had  now  threatened  to  direct 
their  rage. 

"  While  the  family  escaped  by  the  back  way, 
through  vinevards  and  fields,  as  the  doctor  had 
done  before,  the  friend  who  had  been  with  them 
during  the  night  returned  through  the  front  door, 
leaving,  as  it  would  seem  to  the  treacherous  guard, 

"  *  Our  cook  had  visited  Santa  Luzia  early  in  the  evening,  and  he 
had  reported  the  very  suspicious  appearance  of  a  number  of  "  bad 
men,"  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  doctor's  house.  The  threats,  too, 
were  so  open,  that  we  were  continually  dreading  an  attack." 


NARROW    ESCAPE   OF   DR.     KALLEY.  105 

the  whole  party  quietly  within.  It  was  now  near 
the  break  of  day,  and  crowds  were  pouring  up  the 
mount  road  to  the  Festa,  which  had  juvst  begun. 
Soon  after  daylight  I  was  up,  and  not  a  little  startled 
at  the  sight  of  the  doctor's  groom,  who,  remember- 
ing probably  the  military  outrage  at  the  Serra,  had 
fled  from  his  master's  house  as  soon  as  the  guard  ap- 
peared, and  taken  refuge  in  our  stable.  Fearing 
that  his  being  seen  would  serve  to  throw  suspicion 
on  his  master's  retreat,  I  asked  him  a  few  questions 
as  to  the  time  and  circumstances  of  his  leaving  on 
the  previous  evening.  And  having  thus  lulled  the 
suspicions  of  our  own  servants,  if  any  existed,  I  re- 
commended him  quickly  to  seek  a  place  of  safety, 
which  he  at  once  consented  to  do.*  Thus  was  Dr. 
Kalley  in  a  place  of  shelter,  unknown  to  a  single 
native  in  the  island. 

"  It  was  now  high  time  for  Dr.  Miller  (Dr.  Kalley's 
brother-in-law)  and  myself  to  be  acting.  "We  felt 
assured  that  the  threatened  attack  would  take  place 
at  the  appointed  hour  ;  but  were  thankful  that  we 
had  a  British  consul  and  a  British  flag  that  must  be 
degraded  and  trampled  upon,  ere  a  British  subject's 
residence,  rendered  sacred  by  treaty,  could  be 
openly  outraged  under  the  Sabbath's  noon-day  sun. 
We  hastened,  therefore,  to  the  consulate  for  the 
purpose  of  reporting  the   events  of  the  night,  and 

*  He  returned,  however,  as  I  afterwards  discovered,  to  the  stable, 
aud  I  subsequently  took  him  oft' in  a  bainuiuck  to  the  "  Williuui,"  of 
Gla:jgow,  disguised  as  a  woman. 


106  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

requesting  the  consul  to  hoist  the  union  of  England 
over  the  property  of  Dr.  Kalley.  The  reader  may 
imao^ine  our  utter  amazement  when  we  found  that 
in  spite  of  all  the  warnings  he  had  received,  all  the 
details  of  the  plot  with  which  he  had  been  furnished, 
the  very  hour  of  the  attack  being  known  to  him,  the 
British  consul  had  actually  gone  away  to  his  coun- 
try seat,  without  any  probability  of  his  return  to 
Tunchal ! ! 

"  The  Quinta  dos  Pinheiros,  to  which  the  doctor 
fled  commands  an  excellent  view  of  Santa  Luzia, 
his  residence.  Dr.  Kalley  had,  therefore,  an  op- 
portunity of  watching  from  the  windows  the  motions 
of  the  people  below ;  and  who  can  tell  with  what 
thrilling  anxiety  he  must  have  gazed  in  the  direc- 
tion of  his  now  deserted  residence  ?  Ten  o'clock 
came,  and  all  was  quiet ;  the  soldiers  kept  watch, 
and  the  intending  assailants,  who  had  their  spies 
in  all  quarters  of  the  town,  thought  that  their  vic- 
tims were  safe  within.  Half-past  ten  o'clock  struck ; 
still  no  unhallowed  sound  was  heard  reverberating 
there. 

"  It  was  a  glorious  Sabbath  morning.  The  sun  had 
risen,  and  was  shining  in  a  blaze  of  golden  light ; 
the  sky  was  cloudless — the  earth  lovely,  every  vine- 
yard around  us  being  clustered  with  grapes,  scattered 
by  a  heavenly  Friend.  But  though  the  wild  roar 
of  furious  men  was  not  yet  heard,  they  were  gather- 
ino"  from  among  these  vineyards  to  perpetrate,  in 
the  name  of  that  God,  a  God  of  love,  justice,  and 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    DR.    KALLEY.  107 

truth,  outrage,  cruelty,  and  it  might  he  murder  ! 
The  only  subject  of  conversation  in  the  streets 
seemed  to  be  the  intended  proceedings  of  the  day  ; 
and  Mrs.  Kalley,  when  escaping  in  disguise,  over- 
heard persons  say — '  Those  who  are  in  that  house, 
would  need  to-day,  to  be  sure  of  salvation.' 

**  Eleven  o'clock  struck,  and  still  there  was  a 
pause.  Then  was  heard  a  rocket  hissing  through 
the  air.  A  little  pause,  and  a  second  followed  ;  and 
there  began  a  hum  of  human  voices,  which  soon 
rose  into  wild  bursts,  like  ocean's  billows  in  their 
angriest  mood.  It  sounded  nearer  and  nearer  ;  still 
the  Quinta  and  grounds  were  quiet.  Another 
moment  and  a  dense  mass  of  human  beings  emerged 
from  among  the  trees,  and  were  seen  surrounding 
the  house.  There  was  one  wild  roar  and  then  a 
silence.  They  retreated,  and  a  faint  hope  arose 
that  the  soldiers  would  do  their  duty.  But  no :  the 
silence  was  again  broken  ;  the  people  were  not 
mistaken,  the  approval  of  the  authorities  was  indeed 
real,  and  the  work  of  the  instigator  of  the  riots, 
who  had,  I  understand,  himself  enjoyed  the  charitable 
advice  and  medicines  of  Dr.  Kalley,  was  commenced 
in  earnest. 

"  Sledge-hammers  and  clubs  were  soon  in  requisi- 
tion. The  ruffians  worked  hard,  and  the  door  was 
forced.  A  tremendous  yell  arose,  then  disappoint- 
ment and  confusion.  They  had  expected  that  the 
doctor  would  be  dragged  out  to  satiate  their  infuri- 
ated passions.     But  no  ;  he  was  not  found  !  During 


108  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

all  tills  time  the  governor  and  the  police  magistrate 
were  present,  with  a  guard  of  soldiers  ;  and  there 
they  remained  while  the  house  was  being  attacked, 
broken  into,  and  ransacked  ;  seemingly,  as  was  re- 
marked by  a  gentleman  who  passed  at  the  time, 
more  as  a  guard  to  see  the  work  of  devastation  well 
done,  than  for  anvthincr  else. 

"  The  consul  arrived  in  the  midst  of  the  work  of 
destruction,  and  seeing  that  nothing  but  force  could 
restrain  the  mob,  pressed  the  governor  to  '  fire,  as 
it  was  a  case  where  it  was  necessary  to  sacrifice 
life.'  But  this  the  governor  refused  to  do.  Guns 
were,  indeed,  heard  in  the  distance  ;  but  it  was  at 
the  festival  of  '  Our  Lady.'  The  corps  of  country- 
police,  which  had,  on  former  occasions,  been  called 
out  to  prevent  people  from  going  to  the  doctor's 
house  to  listen  to  the  sacred  Scriptures,  were  not 
now  called  out  to  save  his  life.  The  militia,  though 
called  to  attend,  and  fire  in  honour  of  the  Festa  of 
'  Our  Lady  of  the  Mount,'  were  not  in  requisition 
when  the  lives  and  property  of  British  subjects  were 
in  danger.  Nothing  effectual  was  attempted  by  the 
governor,  who  had  at  his  command  all  the  force  of 
the  island.  Who,  then,  can  fail  to  see  that  the 
presence  of  that  functionary  and  the  military,  at 
Dr.  Kalley's  house,  was  a  most  pitiful  farce  ?  Nay, 
it  was  more  than  a  farce — it  was  an  insult  to  the 
British  nation. 

"  Disappointed  of  human  sacrifices,  the  ruffians 
seized  upon  the  doctor's   valuable   library,  manu- 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    PR.    KALLEY.  109 

scripts,  and  other  papers ;  and  those  which  were  not 
reserved  for  their  priestly  employers,  were,  amidst 
fiendish  yells  of  deliglit,  cast  into  the  road  in  front 
of  the  house,  thrashed  with  clubs,  and  afterwards 
burnt.  The  sacred  Scriptures  were  the  objects  of 
especial  hatred,  and  were  all  consigned,  without  re- 
serve, to  the  clubs  and  to  the  flames." 

As  there  was  now  no  security  either  for  property 
or  life.  Dr.  Kalley's  friends  resolved  to  convey  him 
secretly  and  in  disguise  to  a  British  vessel.  For 
this  purpose,  a  hammock  was  obtained,  but  they 
had  much  difficulty  in  securing  bearers.  Finally 
they  succeded. 

"Dr.  Kalley  was  quickly  disguised  in  female 
attire,  put  into  the  hammock,  and  covered  over  (as 
invalid  ladies  are  when  being  carried  in  Madeira)  with 
a  linen  sheet.  Soon  we  had  fairly  started  on  our 
perilous  journey,  not  wavering  in  doubt,  but  strong 
in  faith  and  prayer ;  knowing  that  He  that  was  for 
us  was  greater  than  any  host  that  might  be  arrayed 
against  us.  At  first  one  of  the  bearers  refused  to 
carry  any  one  whose  face  he  did  not  previously  see; 
but  his  objection  was  fortunately  overruled  by  the 
servant  of  the  consul. 

"  About  a  hundred  yards  from  the  entrance  of 
the  Pinheiros  two  men  were  on  the  watch  at  that 
point  of  the  road  which  is  crossed  by  the  Levado, 
and  from  which  our  course  diverged  to  the  left. 
This  was  the  first  danger  we  encountered  ;  but,  put- 
ting on  a  bold  face,  we  advanced  towards  the  spies. 
10 


110  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

A  suspicious  glance  was  directed  at  myself,  the 
bearers,  and  the  hammock  ;  but  as  we  appeared  to 
be  oroing:  away  from  those  parts  that  would  have  led 
them  to  suspect  the  hammock's  contents,  we  were 
allowed  to  pass  on  without  molestation. 

"  Before  we  had  gone  far  the  end  of  the  sheet 
•was  lifted  by  one  of  the  bearers  and  an  inquisitive 
look  directed  within.  I  then  handed  into  the  ham- 
mock a  bottle  of  eau-de-cologne,  which  I  carried  in 
my  hand  to  dispel  suspicion.  In  a  little  time  ex- 
pressions were  heard  indicative  that  '  it  was  no  lady 
they  were  carrying.'  Still  we  proceeded  on  our 
long,  circuitous  journey,  passing,  ever  and  anon, 
little  groups  of  curious  people,  talking  over  the 
affairs  of  the  day  and  gazing  on  the  dense  column 
of  smoke  risincr  from  Dr.  Kallev's  burniDcr  librarv, 
&c.,  the  papers  from  which  were  falling  around  us. 

*'By  and  by  we  descended  towards  the  town,  and 
the  bearer  who  had  lifted  the  sheet  exclaimed,  '  It 
was  hell  for  him,  he  could  not  go  any  farther  ;'  and  he 
stopped  and  laid  down  the  hammock.  The  moment 
was  a  critical  one  ;  but  as  the  weather  was  truly 
oppressive  (for  we  had  come  under  a  burning  sun) 
even  to  one  unencumbered  with  the  weight  of  a 
hammock,  I  did  not  oppose  their  resting  awhile.  I 
then  gently  pressed  them  to  proceed,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  we  were  passing  the  deanery.  Three 
several  times  did  they  thus  lay  down,  and  as  often 
were  they  induced  to  resume  their  burden,  each 
time  pressing  earnestly  to  know  whither  they  were 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF   DR.    K ALLEY.  Ill 

going.  This  was  a  question  that  could  be  answered 
only  at  the  risk  of  our  lives.  I  mentioned,  there- 
fore, the  name  of  a  street  close  to  the  pier  from 
which  we  were  to  embark,  and  by  which  it  was  ne- 
cessary to  pass.  We  were  now  fairly  in  the  heart 
of  the  town,  and  expressions  were  more  than  once 
heard,  'It  is  he.' 

*'  We  passed  the  convent  of  Santa  Clara,  and  the 
consul's  servant  declared  he  could  not  go  a  step 
further  and  would  not.  It  was  a  trying  position, 
and  things  were  becoming  imminent,  for  the  mob, 
having  failed  in  obtaining  possession  of  Dr.  Kal- 
ley's  person  at  Santa  Luzia,  had  assembled  in  front 
of  the  consulate,  where  as  I  have  already  said  his 
wife  and  brother-in-law's  family  had  previously 
taken  refuge.  Here  they  insisted  that  Dr.  Kalley 
was  secreted,  and  loudly  demanded  his  person. 
While  thus  engaged  in  insulting  the  British  flag, 
and  on  the  very  point  of  breaking  into  the  official 
residence  of  our  consul,  a  party  of  soldiers  sent  by 
Colonel  Teixeira  was  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  con- 
sulate. 

"From  the  steps  of  St.  Peter's  another  bearer 
was  procured,  but  the  cry  had  just  been  raised, 
*  There's  the  consul's  servant ;  that  must  be  Dr. 
Kalley.'  We  hurried  past  the  Franciscan  convent 
and  the  castle  onwards  to  the  beach,  while  the  cry 
of  *  Kalley !'  *  Kalley !'  was  being  carried  from 
p-treet  to  street  till  it  reached  the  British  consulate, 
xhree  loud   fiendish   cheers,   and   the   living   mass 


112  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

swept  impetuously  towards  the  pier,  diverted  from 
the  siege  of  the  consulate  to  the  far  more  exciting 
search  for  the  doctor's  person.  At  length  we 
reached  the  pier,  the  boat  was  in  readiness,  the 
hammock  put  on  board  and  we  were  launched  upon 
the  ocean.  I  turned  round  and  the  whole  beach 
teemed  with  living  beings.  What  a  change  had  a 
moment  produced  in  our  condition  and  in  theirs  ! 
But  a  moment  earlier  and  we  had  surely  been  sac- 
rificed to  the  fury  of  the  mob.  We  were  now  out 
of  danger — we  were  beyond  the  murderers'  grasp  !" 

The  little  boat  with  its  precious  charge  was 
rapidly  rowed  towards  the  steamer.  Only  those 
who  suffer  persecution  for  Christ,  know  how  exciting 
such  an  hour  must  be.  Angry  voices  from  other 
boats  were  heard  asking  who  was  in  the  hammock. 
The  boatmen  seem  to  have  thought  *'  it  was  a  sick 
lady  who  was  going  to  the  AYest  Indies."  No  one 
of  the  Christians  said  it  was  a  sick  lady ;  they 
merely  kept  quiet  and  passed  on. 

When  the  little  boat  came  alongside  of  the 
steamer,  Lieut.  Tate  mounted  the  deck,  and  asked 
the  captain  to  take  the  hammock  on  board. 
"Awful  disease,"  "  Quarantine,"  thought  the  captain 
at  first.  He  hesitated.  But  the  mysterious  story 
was  soon  told,  and  it  drew  forth  his  true  generosity 
and  hearty  welcome.  Dr.  Kalley  was  now  on 
board  an  English  ship.  Soon  after  Mrs.  Kalley 
and  a  native  attendant  were  on  board  the  vessel. 
This  was  Dr.  Kalley's  earthly  reward,  for  showing 


NARROW  ESCAPE    OF    DR.    KALLEY.  113 

himself  the  hest  friend  of  Madeira  that  ever  landed 
on  her  shores ;  the  best  friend  of  the  people  ; — "  the 
man  who  had  consecrated  time,  talent,  property, 
and  life  itself  to  promote  their  best  temporal  and 
spiritual  welfare.  Not  only  he  and  his  family  were 
obliged  to  flee,  but  his  library,  valued  at  §10,000, 
was  reduced  to  ashes." 

The  British  Consul  had  laid  aside  the  official 
dress,  and  had  taken  down  the  flag  from  flying  over 
his  house,  signifying  English  protection !  The 
consular  uniform  should  not  be  seen,  and  the  flag: 
should  be  furled  in  the  lockers  at  an  hour  when 
they  ought  to  have  been  used  to  save  English  life  and 
property.  England  was  not  to  blame,  but  she  was 
insulted  by  her  own  consul,  who  went  about  in  a 
"  sailor's  round  jacket !"  Name  not  the  man  I 

The  consul  went  to  the  mob  which  was  still  raging 
at  Dr.  Kalley's  burning  house,  and  told  them  that 
he  had  escaped,  and  had  gone  on  board  an  English 
vessel.  But  they  would  not  believe  this,  unless 
they  could  see  him.  So  the  obliging  consul  went 
to  the  shore  with  them  and  asked  that  Dr.  Kalley 
would  show  himself!  This  was  an  insult.  The 
consul  plead  that,  if  this  was  not  done,  he  would  be 
suspected  of  harbouring  Dr.  Kalley  in  his  house,  and 
it  would  be  set  on  fire.  It  would  gratify  him,  and 
satisfy  the  mob  if  he  would  grant  them  an  ocular  de- 
monstration. Dr.  Kalley  consented  to  this  in- 
dignity because  he  feared  his  dear  friends  would  be 

burned  alive  in  their  houses,  or  murdered  in  trying 

10* 


114  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

to  flee  from  them.     It  was  too  late  to  use  any  more 
hammocks  in  carrying  away  disguised  persons. 

There  were  officers  of  the  government  ready  to  put 
down  these  riots.  They  had  some  respect  for  life, 
for  property,  for  rights,  and  for  the  treaty  between 
nations.  They  came  to  the  Governor  and  police- 
magistrate  who  were  present  at  the  work  of  destruc- 
tion !  *'  The  officer  of  the  guard  frequently  asked 
permission  of  the  head  of  police  to  disperse  the 
mob,  but  was  told  on  no  account  to  do  so !  Colonel 
Teixeira,  the  military  commandant,  knowing  what 
was  going  on  at  Dr.  Kalley's  house,  and  having  re- 
ceived no  requisition  for  more  troops  than  a  small 
guard,  proceeded  in  person  to  the  scene  of  plunder, 
told  the  civil  authorities  that  he  had  field  pieces  and 
plenty  of  troops  ready  for  action,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  bring  them  up.  He  was  informed  there 
was  no  need  whatever  for  them." 

We  see  then  what  the  Romanists  are  ready  to  do 
on  Sabbath,  when  there  are  Christians  to  be  driven 
away,  and  when  there  are  no  civil  laws  to  hinder 
them  from  riots.  Two  Sabbaths  had  been  dese- 
crated in  the  most  bold  and  violent  manner.  One 
week  was  not  enough  to  spend  in  this  wicked  work. 
The  fury  was  still  kept  hot  by  the  priests.  No 
Christian,  no  Bible-reader,  was  allowed  to  be  safe 
in  the  city,  or  any  of  the  towns  of  the  island. 

On  the  next  day  after  Dr.  Kalley's  flight,  many 
other  English  residents  were  forced  to  leave  their 
homes.     The   sick   were    treated   without    mercy. 


NARROW    ESCAPE    OF    DR.    KALLEY.  115 

Eleven  such  families  were  insulted  and  threatened. 
One  English  gentleman,  who  helped  his  friends  to 
get  safely  away  on  ships,  was  threatened  with  mur- 
der and  obliged  to  flee.  It  would  not  do  to  help 
any  one  to  remain  safe  on  the  island,  nor  to  help 
any  one  to  flee  away  !  One  British  lady  died  after 
reaching  a  vessel  in  the  harbour,  from  the  violence 
to  which  she,  in  her  sickness,  was  exposed;  others 
came  near  losing  life  through  fatigue  and  alarm. 

The  native  Bible-readers  were  severely  perse- 
cuted. Their  houses  were  broken  into  and  plun- 
dered, their  steps  were  watched  by  spies,  and  they 
were  driven  by  hundreds  into  the  mountains,  and 
hunted  down,  like  sheep  upon  an  island  of  wolves. 

"It  is  truly  heart-rending,"  wrote  one  of  the 
English  residents,  "  to  hear  of  their  sufferings. 
"When  discovered  in  their  hiding  places,  they  are 
mercilessly  beaten,  to  extort  a  promise  that  they 
will  go  to  confession.  A  few  days  ago  a  man  was 
most  brutally  murdered,  and  several  women  have 
sustained  injuries  from  which  they  are  not  expected 
to  recover."  They  were  faithful  to  their  Saviour, 
and  remembered  that,  by  faith,  men  of  olden  times 
endured  fire  and  sword,  even  death  for  Christ. 

There  was  no  protection  for  Protestants  on  shore. 
A  placard  was  put  on  the  governor's  palace  de- 
manding that  Protestants  should  leave  the  island  on 
that  week,  and  stating  that  four  thousand  men 
would  come  for  the  answer  of  the  government  on 
next  Sabbath. 


116         THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 

Not  many  years  before,  during  the  reign  of  ter- 
ror under  Don  Miguel,  one  of  the  proscribed  per- 
sons took  refuo:e  under  the  flao^  of  a  foreign  consul. 
He  was  safe  there,  though  he  did  not  dare  to  leave 
his  room  for  many  months.  But  he  was  not  a  Bi- 
ble-reader! No  Bible-reader  could  be  allowed  the 
protection  of  a  foreign  flag,  and  the  worst  of  our 
shame  is  that  an  English  consul  should  even  deny 
the  use  of  his  waving  banner. 


THE  "WILLIAM    OF    GLASGOW."  117 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    ''WILLIAM    OF   GLASGOW." 

The  converts  and  Bible-readers  were  now  called 
to  enter  the  seven-times-heated  furnace.  Fire  at 
home,  the  cudgel  in  the  streets,  the  treachery  of 
priests,  starvation  in  the  mountains ;  all  these 
threatened  them.  They  were  persecuted  on  every 
side.  Their  neighbours,  who  still  adhered  to  the 
Koman  church,  the  priests  and  the  police  were  con- 
stantly on  the  alert  to  arrest  them.  They  were 
forbidden  to  read  the  Scriptures,  or  to  pray  to- 
gether in  their  own  dwellings.  Every  copy  of  the 
word  of  God  on  which  the  priests  could  lay  their 
hands  was  immediately  committed  to  the  flames. 
But  thanks  be  to  God,  the  Bibles  were  not  all  de- 
stroyed. Some  enclosed  their  Bibles  in  small  boxes 
and  buried  them  in  the  earth.  Others  opened  a 
place  in  the  stone  wall  of  the  house,  put  in  the  Bi- 
ble, and  then  plastered  over  it.  And  others 
wrapped  them  in  cloth  aiid  hung  them  in  trees  of 
very  thick  foliage.  In  such  ways  as  ingenuity  and 
piety  could  suggest,  we  are  assured  by  tliose  who  know, 
that  at  least  fifty  Bibles  and  three  hundred  New 


118  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

Testaments  were  preserved  from  the  destroyer  and 
are  now  on  the  island.  From  time  to  time  there 
has  been  a  resurrection  of  those  Bibles  that  were 
buried  during  the  violence  of  the  persecution.  The 
fruits  of  "  the  seed  of  the  kingdom"  will,  we  trust, 
yet  be  seen  in  Madeira. 

Every  night  some  new  act  of  violence  and  cruelty 
was  committed.  The  vineyards  of  Protestants  were 
trodden  down,  and  their  property  destroyed.  They 
were  hated  by  men,  because  they  loved  Christ.  There 
was  no  human  law  for  them,  because  they  were  de- 
termined to  obey  the  laws  of  God.  There  was  no 
earthly  home  for  them,  because  they  were  seeking 
the  Father's  house  in  heaven.  They  were  praising 
God  in  the  mountains,  or  seeking  refuge  on  English 
ships.  Guns  were  often  fired  from  these  ships,  to 
let  the  persecuted  people  know  that  they  might  find 
a  welcome  on  their  decks. 

The  ''William  of  Glasgow"  was  anchored  in  the 
bay  of  Funchal,  ready  to  take  on  board  as  many  of 
the  Protestants  as  could  find  room.  Twelve  English 
refugees  were  on  board.  One  of  them  who  knew 
much  of  the  fury  of  the  mob,  thus  wrote  to  Mr. 
Hewitson  :  ''  This  ship  is  to  take  away  two  hundred 
of  your  flock  to  Trinidad.  Seventy  are  already  on 
board.  The  sound  of  the  hymns  is  very  sweet,  as 
it  rises  from  the  hold.  It  is  a  great  privilege  to  be 
near  them  in  this  time  of  need,  and  to  see  that  their 
faith  does  not  fail.  They  never  speak  against  their 
persecutors — they   only  mention   them    with   pity. 


THE    **  WILLIAM    OF   GLASGOW."  Il9 

Sometimes  I  overhear  them  in  prayer,  praying  for 
their  enemies,  and  for  those  who  have  turned  back 
again  to  the  houses  of  idohitry.  They  have  all 
been  in  hidings  on  the  mountains,  and  many  of 
them  have  nothing  left  but  the  clothes  they  wear." 
"We  quote  a  longer  account  of  these  exiles.  It  was 
written  by  one  on  board  the  ship  William. 

"  They  soon  heard  that  the  ship  William  had  re- 
ceived on  board  those  who  sympathized  in  their 
cruel  sufferings.  And  the  very  first  night  after  we 
embarked,  several  of  the  poor  persecuted  ones  were 
safely  treading  the  deck  of  the  William.  It  was  a 
truly  interesting  sight  to  see  the  boat  sweep  along- 
side, doubtful  at  the  moment  whom  it  might  contain  ; 
then  to  see  one  after  another  mounting  the  side  of 
the  ship — casting  a  wistful  eye  around,  lest  perchance 
they  might  have  missed  the  looked-for  vessel  ;  to 
witness  the  affectionate  meeting,  as  they  caught  the 
eye,  and  afterwards  the  hand,  of  a  well  known 
sympathizing  friend.  It  was  most  affecting  to  see 
the  tear  of  joy,  the  look  of  gratitude,  that  beamed 
in  the  face  of  each  poor  sufferer  as  he  first  set  foot 
upon  an  English  deck,  and  once  more  breathed  the 
air  of  freedom  and  of  liberty. 

"  It  rejoiced  the  heart  to  see  the  tear  of  gladness — 
to  hear  the  prayer  of  intercession  for  their  enemies, 
and  the  hymns  of  praise  and  gratitude  from  night 
to  night,  as  their  numbers  increased,  and  they  now 
flocked  in  crowds  to  seek  amongst  strangers  that 
shelter  which  their  countrymen  refused  them.     Old 


120  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA.- 

and  young,  strong  and  infirm,  girls  and  women  with 
children  at  their  breasts — all  hurried  to  the  William, 
knowinor  that  here  were  hearts  beatino;  with  tender 
affection  for  Christ's  suffering  flock. 

"  I  wish  I  could  recount  the  marvellous  escapes 
of  some  through  the  brushwood  of  the  mountains, 
while  their  enemies  were  in  full  pursuit — the  hair- 
breadth escape  of  others,  who  left  their  homes  at 
midnight,  and  never  were  permitted  to  enter  them 
again — who  left  them  to  the  robber  and  the  plun- 
derer, and  never  found  shelter  more,  till  they  found 
it  in  the  William  of  Glasgow.  I  have  a  letter  before 
me  from  one  who,  writing  from  Trinidad,  speaks 
thus  of  her  wanderings  in  the  mountains  of  Ma- 
deira : — 

*' '  I  cannot  narrate  in  writing  the  afilictions  we 
suffered,  nor  even  bj  word  of  mouth  could  I  tell 
them.  I  can  only  say  we  fled  from  our  home  on 
Saturday  night,  and  wandered  fugitives  for  thirteen 
days.  But  God  in  his  mercy  sent  us  a  ship  one  day 
after  the  sad  9th  of  August,  to  deliver  his  children 
from  the  fangs  of  their  enemies,  and  from  the  snares 
of  the  devil.  We  cannot  give  the  thanks  due  to 
God  for  his  mercy  towards  us.  God  fulfilled  his 
word : — "  When  thou  passcst  through  the  waters,  I 
will  be  with  thee ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall 
not  overflow  thee ;  when  thou  walkest  through  the 
fire,  thou  shall  not  be  burned,  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee.''  Isaiah  xliii.  2.' 

"Every  night  added   to  the   list  of  native  con- 


THE    "WILLIAM    OF    GLASGOW."  121 

verts  rescued  from  the  assassins'  grasp.  But  all 
did  not  escape  so  well.  On  the  morning  of  the  9th, 
the  day  of  attack  on  Dr.  Kalley's  house,  the  nephew 
of  a  poor  woman,  who  had  just  been  obliged  to  fly 
from  the  house,  was  found  at  the  door,  as  the  ruffians 
came  to  attack  it.  He  was  but  twelve  years  old, 
but  his  youth  was  no  protection.  He  was  knocked 
down  and  violently  beaten,  receiving  a  dreadful 
blow  in  the  head,  which  for  a  considerable  time  con- 
fined him  to  the  hospital.  On  the  same  day  a  poor 
old  woman  was  dreadfully  beaten,  and  the  mob, 
supposing  her  dead,  dragged  the  body  to  the  spot 
where  two  of  the  converts  had  been  buried  on  the 
public  road.*  There  they  laid  her  upon  the  grave. 
She  remained  in  this  state  a  considerable  time,  and 
was  then  carried  to  the  hospital ;  but  having  refused 
to  attend  confession,  on  which  terms  only  she  was 
offered  her  life,  she  was  cast  out  to  perish.  She 
was  afterwards  taken  in  again,  and  notwithstanding 
one  arm  was  broken,  and  her  whole  body  a  mass  of 

*  "  As  if  it  was  not  sufficient  for  the  church  of  Rome  to  be  continu- 
ally persecuting  the  converts  to  Gospel  truth,  she  denies,  in  direct 
violation  of  the  laws  of  Portugal,  their  very  bodies  sepulture  in  the 
only  legal  cemetery,  and  decrees  that  they  be  buried  in  the  public 
roads.  Scarcely  twelve  months  since  the  authorities  of  Madeira,  nut 
content  with  ordering  a  Protestant's  body  to  be  thus  buried  in  the 
public  road,  insisted  on  its  being  buried  in  front  of  his  own  door,  in 
order  that  the  family  might  daily  step  over  it.  Happily  the  rock 
prevented  the  accomplishment  of  this  iniquitous  design,  and  he  now 
lies  on  one  side  of  the  door.  Verily  '  the  righteous  perisheth,  and  no 
man  layeth  il  to  bearU'  Isaiah  Ivii.  1." 
11 


122  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

bruises,  recovered,  and  sailed  in  the  Lord  Seaton 
for  Trinidad. 

"  Poor  Mariasinha !  hers  was  one  of  the  most  fiery 
of  all  the  trials  of  those  stormy  days.  Canon  Telles 
attacked  her  again  and  again,  and  the  most  fearful 
threatenings  were  employed  to  force  her  to  confession. 
She  was  five  weeks  alone  amongst  her  enemies  ; 
speaking  of  which  time  subsequently  to  a  Christian 
friend,  she  shuddered,  as  she  thought  of  the  blas- 
phemies she  had  heard  from  the  lips  of  the 
other  invalids,  and  from  the  attendants.  May  her 
patience,  and  her  strong  and  simple  faith  have  been 
blessed  as  a  lesson  to  some  one  among  them  !  It  is 
interesting  to  tell  how  this  poor  one  of  the  flock, 
weak  both  in  mind  and  body,  was  made  strong  to 
witness  a  good  profession  in  the  hour  of  trial. 
During  this  conversation,  which  the  English  lady 
declared  to  be  a  solemn  lesson  to  her,  she  said  : 
*  Much  had  been  forgiven  her,  and  truly  she  loved 
much.' 

"  Another  woman  was  treated  in  a  similar  way 
some  days  later,  and  shortly  after,  a  man  was  bar- 
barously murdered  in  open  day  by  five  or  six  rufiians, 
who,  not  content  with  having  murdered  him,  jumped 
and  stamped,  like  fiends,  over  the  mutilated  remains. 
For  this  murder  four  men  were  committed  to  prison, 
and  during  the  week  a  jail  delivery  was  everywhere 
spoken  of,  as  the  work  of  the  coming  Sunday.  On 
the  Saturday  preceding,  being  the  eve  of  the  great 
Mount  Festa,  the  city  was  filled  with  strangers.    At 


THE    *^  WILLIAM   OP   GLASGOW."  123 

intervals  during  the  day  two  English  ships,  lying 
next  to  us,  fired  their  guns,  to  show  the  people,  as 
the  captain  remarked,  that  afloat,  at  least,  the 
English  could  and  would  protect  themselves.  This 
I  believe,  gave  great  offence  to  the  Portuguese  au- 
thorities ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  the  effect  on  the 
people  was  good. 

"  The  military  officers,  ashamed  of  the  scandalous 
affair  of  last  Sunday,  met  together  in  their  quarters, 
and  resolved  amongst  themselves  to  put  down  all 
attempts  at  disturbance,  independently  of  any  re- 
quisition from  the  civil  authorities  ;  '  seeing,'  as  they 
said,  '  that  the  administrator  of  the  council  had  lost 
the  public  confidence,  and  had  been  the  promoter 
(as  they  were  ready  to  prove,  if  the  inquiry  were 
proceeded  with)  of  all  the  disorder,  in  concert  with 
the  Canon  Telles  and  other  priests;'  and  a  message 
to  this  effect  was  sent  to  the  governor.  Throughout 
the  week  some  very  clever  and  ludicrous  squibs  were 
posted  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  and  it  was  the 
constant  work  of  the  police  to  search  them  out,  and 
pull  them  down.  Some  caricatures  also  appeared, 
in  which  certain  public  characters  were  by  no  means 
spared.*  On  Sunday,  the  16th  of  August,  a  good 
many  boats  were  pulling  and  sailing  about  our 
vessel,  with  insulting  parties  onboard,  singing  songs 
against  ''  the  Calvinists,"  and  in  one  we  recognized 

*  Some  \TAg  fixed,  among  other  papers,  on  the  door  of  tlie  British 
consulate — "  To  let,  with  immediate  possession."  "Furniture  for  sale, 
the  occupier  being  about  to  leave  the  island/'  <&c. 


124  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

the  boys  who  held  the  lights  before  the  ruffians  on 
the  night  of  the  Angustias  outrage,  as  they  entered 
the  invalid's  chamber.  Crowds  of  people  were  in 
the  town  from  all  parts  of  the  island.  Upwards  of 
two  hundred  assembled,  as  on  the  previous  Sunday, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  cathedral,  armed  with 
bludgeons  ;  but  on  hearing  of  the  determination  of 
the  military,  and  not  meeting  with  their  friend  the 
police  magistrate,  as  they  had  done  before,  dispersed, 
or  rather  went  in  search  of  the  native  converts  in 
the  country,  fearing  that  an  attack  on  the  jail  would 
only  meet  with  certain  defeat  and  loss.  The  two 
neighbouring  ships  continued  firing  their  guns  at 
intervals  throughout  the  day,  for  which,  I  believe, 
they  incurred  the  penalty  of  a  consular  reprimand. 

"  The  William  had  now  received  on  board  all  the 
converts  she  could  accommodate,  and,  as  it  was  im- 
possible for  these  poor  persecuted  ones,  either  to 
appear  on  shore,  or  to  satisfy  the  priests'  demands, 
it  was  necessary  that  something  should  be  done  to 
remove  the  difficulties  of  procuring  their  passports. 
A  deputation  accordingly  waited  on  the  governor, 
and  obtained  from  him  a  dispensation  as  to  personal 
application,  and  also  as  to  the  certificates  of  church 
attendance,  which  are  always  insisted  on  before  a 
passport  is  given.  So  glad  were  the  authorities  at 
this  time  to  sacrifice  any  consideration  to  allay  the 
fever  which  they  had  themselves  excited." 

Thus  did  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  prepare 
the  way  for  the  flight  of  his  people  from  their  native 


THE  "WILLIAM    OF   QLASQOW."  125 

country  I  What  a  company  was  tliis  !  Wliat  a 
spectacle  for  the  10th  century  I  Parents  and  chil- 
dren, husbands  and  wives,  brothers  and  sisters,  are 
separated  from  each  other.  Among  these  tender, 
natural,  and  social  relations,  some  are  persecutors  on 
shore,  and  others  are  fugitives  on  the  vessel.  Who 
can  tell  the  agony  of  these  persecuted  disciples 
about  to  leave  their  country  and  friends  for  ever  ? 
What  were  their  feelings,  when  they  thought  of  the 
darkness,  delusion,  and  bigotry  in  which  their 
relatives  were  involved  ; — when  they  anticipated 
that  their  next  meeting  would  be  at  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ,  and  especially  when  they  thought  of 
the  destiny  of  those  who  persecute  the  children  of 
God? 

The  day  of  their  departure  a'rrived.  What  a  day 
for  them !  Alas  !  What  a  day  for  Madeira !  It 
seems  as  though  the  Gospel  was  to  be  taken  away 
from  that  infatuated  people  ;  it  looks  like  the  de- 
parture of  the  Saviour  from  their  coasts  ;  it  reminds 
us  of  his  declaration  to  the  bigoted  priests  and 
Pharisees  who  despised  and  rejected  him  ;  "  I  go 
my  way,  and  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  shall  die  in  your 
sins;  whither  I  go,  ye  cannot  come."  But  our 
prayer  is,  that  they  may  not  be  abandoned  to  their 
delusions.  May  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  yet 
shine  upon  them,  and  may  they  yet  rejoice  in  that 
light ! 

*'  On   Sunday,  the  23rd  of  August,  the  William 

loosed  her  sails,  and  slowly  and  beautifully  glided 
11* 


126  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

out  of  the  bay  of  Funchal.   There  was  something  of 
deep  solemnity  about  her  every  motion — carrying,  as 
she  was,  two  hundred   Christians  from  the  land  of 
their  fathers,  to  seek  a  refuge  in  a  land  of  strangers. 
Most  of  this  large  party  had  left   their  homes  at 
night,    and  could  not,  without  risking  their  lives, 
return  to  their  ruined  cottages  to  collect  any  little 
property  that  might  be  left.     Many  of  them  came 
on  board  with  nothing  but  the  clothes  they  had  on, 
and  these  in  tatters   from  their  wanderings   in  the 
Serras.     Yet  during  the  days  we  sojourned  among 
them  in  that  ark  of  refuge,  not  a  word  of  repining 
reached  our  ears,  except  from  one  or  two  unconverted 
members  of  large  families,  who  had  not  yet  learned 
to  love  the  cause  for  which  the  rest  rejoiced  to  suffer. 
The  language  of  all  the  others  was  that  of  joy  and 
thankfulness  to  Him  who  had  called  them  '  out   of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light;'  1  Peter  ii.  9 ;  and 
who  had  now  in  his  mercy  delivered  them  from  their 
enemies  on  every  side,  and  gathered  them  together 
in  one  family,  and  into  one  refuge. 

"  The  more  that  was  seen  of  this  persecuted 
flock,  in  circumstances  the  most  trying,  the  higher 
did  their  Christian  principle  rise  in  the  estimation 
of  all.  Those  only  who  know  the  general  character 
of  the  Portuguese  can  form  a  just  estimate  of  the 
total  change  that  must  have  passed  on  these  con- 
verts. They  had  become  ^  new  creatures'  indeed. 
In  the  distribution  of  clothes  to  the  necessitous, 
Matthew  v.  44,  it  was  most  gratifying  to  witness 


THE    ^'WILLIAM    OF   GLASGOW."  127 

the  good  feeling  shown  by  all  on  the  occasion — to 
see  not  merely  their  willingness  to  share  with  one 
another  the  bounty  of  their  Christian  friends,  but 
their  eagerness  to  tell  of  the  wants  of  others  more 
destitute  than  themselves.  And  in  no  one  instance 
was  there  an  attempt  to  deceive,  by  any  conceal- 
ment of  what  they  possessed.  The  mate  and  steward 
both  repeatedly  remarked,  '  that  they  had  never 
seen  folk  love  one  another  as  these  folk  did.' 

**  Among  the  two  hundred  and  eleven  passengers 
of  the  "William,  there  was  one  Romanist  family, 
who  had  long  persecuted  the  converts,  and  was  now 
seeking  a  passage  to  Trinidad  as  emigrants.  Their 
extreme  poverty  excited  the  compassion  of  those 
around  them.  After  the  converts  had  each  received 
from  the  hand  of  charity  their  small  supply  of 
clothing,  some  of  them  came  aft  to  their  benefac- 
tors on  the  ship,  and  begged  to  know  if  they  might 
now  consider  it  as  their  own  property,  and  act  ac- 
cordingly. They  were  asked  the  reason  of  the 
question,  when  they  said,  it  was  their  wish  to  obey 
the  Lord's  command — '  Love  your  enemies,  bless 
them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you, 
and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you  and 
persecute  you.'  They  w^ere  cheerfully  assured  that 
they  might,  and  it  was  pleasing  to  see  them  share 
their  scanty  store  with  their  former  enemies ;  thus 
affording  a  most  beautiful  specimen  of  the  spirit  by 
which  they  were  animated. 


128  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

"  Their  conduct  throughout  was  such  that  the 
Romanists  openly  expressed  their  wonder  and  as- 
tonishment. They  saw  those  who  had  little  prop- 
erties, (and  there  were  both  land  and  householders 
in  the  William's  band  of  Christians,)  parting  with 
their  houses  and  land,  and  all  they  possessed,  for 
the  smallest  trifle,  counting  '  all  things  but  loss,  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord.'  Philippians  iii.  8.  One  Portuguese  gen- 
tleman, talking  on  the  subject,  wound  up  by  saying, 
that  '  if  he  were  called  upon  to  choose  a  religion 
suddenly,  and  without  further  thought,  he  believed 
he  should  fix  upon  that  of  these  people,  because  he 
saw  them  suffer  without  complaining.' 

"As  was  their  conduct  under  persecution  on 
shore,  so  was  their  conduct  afloat.  They  had  chosen 
Christ,  and  the  only  subject  of  their  glorying  was 
the  Lord  Jesus.  They  looked  not  back  upon  the 
world  with  all  its  pleasures.  From  it,  and  from 
self,  they  had  been  weaned  by  the  Spirit  of  that 
God  who  had  been  their  friend  through  evil  report, 
and  through  good  report ;  who  had  been  more  than 
a  brother  to  them,  in  sorrow  and  in  joy,  by  day 
and  by  night,  at  all  seasons,  and  in  all  circum- 
stances. They  knew  that  He,  who  had  thus  watched 
over  them,  would  not  desert  them  in  the  land  to 
which  they  were  now  being  driven  before  the  perse- 
cuting hand  of  man.  Christ,  when  on  earth,  said 
to  his  disciples,  '  When  they  persecute  you  in  this 


THE    *'  WILLIAM    OF   GLASGOW."  129 

citj,  flee  ye  into  anotlior.'*  The  Christian's  Iving- 
dom  is  not  of  this  ^vol•hl:  his  kingdom  is  a  kingdom 
set  up  by  the  God  of  heaven.  It  is  a  kingdom 
which  shall,  in  God's  own  good  time,  break  in  pieces 
and  consume  '  all  other  kingdoms,  but  shall  itself 
stand  for  ever.' 

''Rather  than  sacrifice  one's  inheritance  in  that 
kingdom,  it  were  well  to  flee,  during  a  whole  life- 
time, from  city  to  city,  or  from  one  land  to  another, 
however  severe  the  trials,  however  great  the  earthly 
losses,  however  cruel  the  personal  suff"erings.  '  The 
disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant 
above  his  lord.  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  to  be 
as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as  his  lord.'  'If  we 
suff*er,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him.' 

"  And  now  why  was  all  this  grievous  persecution 
carried  on  against  that  little  flock  ?  "Were  they 
traitors  to  their  country  ?  There  were  none  more 
loyal.  Were  they  disturbers  of  the  peace  ?  None  were 
more  peaceful.  Never  perhaps  were  the  members 
of  any  church  more   '  likeminded   one   toward  an- 

•  "  Matthew  x.  23.  After  reading,  in  the  simplicity  of  their  faith, 
the  words,  '  if  they  have  persecuted  lue,  they  will  also  persecute  you,* 
John  XV.  20,  and  'when  they  persecute  you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into 
another,'  they  felt  that  they  must  suffer  persecution,  as  God  had  said 
80.  And  after  talking  together  on  the  subject,  they  applied  to  a 
Christian  friend  as  to  what  they  should  do  when  persecntion  came,  for 
they  could  not  flee  to  other  cities,  unless  God  were  to  open  a  way 
for  them  through  the  sea.  His  answer,  delivered  four  years  before, 
they  now  called  to  mind,  '  if  persecution  should  come  to  Madeira, 
God  wauld  also  send  ships  to  deliver  those  who  keej)  his  word,  aa 
Burely  an  be  delivered  the  Israelites  from  the  power  of  Pharaoh.*  " 


130  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

other,  according  to  Christ  Jesus,'  Rom.  xv.  5,  than 
the  little  flock  at  Madeira.  Never  was  there 
simpler  faith,  simpler  hope,  simpler  love.  Shining 
as  lights  *  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse 
nation,'  they  held  '  forth  the  word  of  life ;'  Phil.  ii. 
15,  16  ;  constantly  provoking  each  other  to  love  and 
good  works.  Their  humility,  gentleness,  guileless 
simplicity,  and  burning  love,  were  seen  and  acknow- 
ledged by  their  most  bitter  enemies.  Like  the 
meek,  who  shall  inherit  the  earth,  they  would  fain 
have  been  suffered  quietly  to  delight  themselves  in 
the  abundance  of  peace.  As  followers  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  they  were  peaceable  and  peace- 
makers. They  desired  peace  with  God,  peace  with 
man,  peace  at  home,  peace  abroad.  But  peace  was 
not  to  be  purchased  at  the  expense  of  principle. 
'  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure,  then 
peaceable.'  James  iii.  17.  To  appease  the  enemies 
of  Jesus,  they  would  not  cease  to  read  and  obey 
the  word  of  God.  And  this  was  the  sum  and  ground 
of  their  offence.  They  would  obey  the  injunction 
of  their  Saviour,  to  'search  the  Scriptures,'  and 
learn  of  him,  instead  of  subjecting  their  minds 
and  will  to  the  guidance  and  thraldom  of  their  fel- 
low sinners,  who  in  vain  were  serving  God,  '  teach- 
ing for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.'  " 

In  the  ship  William  there  were  about  two  hundred 
of  these  exiles,  and  soon  after  this,  the  Lord  Seaton 
took  about  the  same  number. 


A    LOOK    BACK   AT    MADEIRA.  131 


CHAPTER    X. 

A   LOOK    BACK   AT    MADEIRA. 

Why  did  not  these  outrasjes  on  British  life  and 
property  provoke  a  war  on  the  part  of  England  ? 
It  probably  would  have  done  so,  had  not  steps  been 
taken  to  prevent  such  a  calamity. 

**  When  the  tidings  of  these  outrages  reached 
Portugal,  the  British  ambassador  there,  more  faith- 
ful to  his  trust  than  the  consul  at  Madeira,  entered 
his  solemn  protest  against  these  reckless  and  un- 
righteous proceedings.  The  Queen  of  Portugal  was 
compelled  by  this  act  to  appoint  and  send  a  royal 
commission  to  investigate  the  affairs  at  Madeira, 
especially  with  reference  to  the  treatment  of  British 
subjects. 

"  This  commission  came  and  made  their  investi- 
gations. In  their  view,  the  conduct  of  the  govern- 
ment at  Madeira  was  so  unjustifiable  that  they  re- 
quested the  administration  to  resign.  They  all  re- 
signed except  the  administrador  do  conceVio. 

"  His  dismission  was  immediately  sent  from  Por- 
tugal.    A  new  governor  was  appointed  at  Madeira. 


132  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIKA. 

In  this  change  there  was  a  show  of  disapprobation 
on  the  part  of  the  queen  against  those  who  had  en- 
couraged and  sanctioned  this  persecution  by  their 
silence  and  inaction.  Whether  this  change  was 
made  by  the  queen  with  a  conviction  of  wrong 
doing  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  at  Madeira,  or 
whether  it  was  effected  through  fear  of  British 
cannon,  may  be  a  question. 

^' There  was  also  the  external  form  of  a  trial  of 
some  of  those  who  had  been  the  most  active  and  the 
most  savage  in  this  persecution.  The  result  of  this  ap- 
pearance of  justice  was  the  acquittal  of  all  the 
rioters.  Even  those  who  were  arrested  in  the  very 
act  of  murdering  the  Bible-readers,  were  acquitted. 
When  the  evidence  of  their  guilt  was  too  obvious  to 
be  denied,  no  penalty  was  inflicted.  The  leaders  of 
the  mob,  such  as  Canon  Telles,  were  not  subjected 
even  to  the  form  of  a  trial. 

*'  The  painful  conclusion  to  which  we  are  driven 
by  these  facts  is,  that  the  civil  government  and  the 
courts  of  justice  connived  at  these  enormous  crimes, 
and  that  the  whole  form  of  trial  was  a  solemn 
mockery  or  a  farce." 

Canon  Telles  was  still  active  in  his  work  of  per- 
secution. He  circulated  a  petition  to  the  Queen  of 
Portugal,  begging  her  to  issue  a  decree  against  the 
Protestants,  or,  as  he  wrote,  "  Against  foreign  mis- 
sionaries and  their  agents,  foreign  and  native."  It 
was  like  the  request  of  the  Gadarenes  to  Jesus, 
"that  he  would  depart  out  of  their  coasts."     As  he 


A    LOOK    BACK    AT    MADEIRA.  133 

was  not  himself  working  for  the  gospel  in  Madeira, 
he  could  not  say,  **  Come  over  and  help  us."  This 
petition  was  signed  by  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  persons.  Among  the  signers  were  the  names 
of  the  civil  governor,  judges,  public  prosecutor, 
thirty-eight  priests,  and  eighty-one  relatives  of  the 
priests.  This  strange  petition,  we  believe,  was 
granted  by  the  queen. 

The  Bishop  was  not  asleep.  Nor  was  he  sitting 
down  behind  the  screen,  laughing  to  see  the  work 
of  death  or  banishment  going  on  so  well.  lie  was 
active.  He  ordered  that  all  young  persons  should 
be  confirmed  in  the  Romish  Church  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, and  that  all  the  islanders  should  come  at 
once  to  mass  and  confession.  If  they  did  not 
obey,  they  should  be  proceeded  against  for  heresy 
and  for  apostasy,  as  Mrs.  Alves  had  once  been 
served.  Death  had  been  pronounced  against  her. 
Only  one  step  more  and  the  Bishop  would  have  had 
the  old  Spanish  Inquisition  in  all  its  power. 

This  Bishop  had  left  Madeira  early  in  1846,  say- 
ing, in  a  pettish  way,  that  he  would  not  return  until 
Dr.  Kalley  was  driven  from  the  island.  It  must  be 
made  more  thoroughly  Romish,  or  he  would  not 
stay  in  it  I  In  fact,  too  many  people  were  just 
making  the  great  discovery  that  they  could  do 
without  him. 

He  returned  in  October  after  Dr.  Kalley's  expul- 
sion.    He   sat  down  to  write  a   "pastoral   letter." 
Now  such  letters  are  usually,  among  Protestants,  of 
12 


134  .  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

a  mild,  persuasive  character.  They  are  the  letters 
of  pastors  to  their  people.  They  are  such  as  Mr. 
Hewitson  wrote,  full  of  love  and  christian  sympathy. 
But  how  did  the  Bishop  write  ? 

He  called  the  religion  of  Dr.  Kalley  "  proud  and 
Satanic  philosophy ;"  "  doctrines  of  yesterday,  con- 
ceived in  impiety,  by  caprice,  and  extracted  from 
the  dark  bosom  of  Protestantism."  Did  he  not  re- 
member that  Dr.  Kalley  had  circulated  the  Bible  which 
was  proved  to  be  the  true  word  of  God,  and  which 
did  not  differ  in  any  important  point  from  the  one 
the  Bishop  ought  to  have  kept  in  good  use  ?  The 
Bishop  was  thus  denouncing  the  word  of  God ! 

To  the  influence  of  these  doctrines  he  ascribed 
the  potato  disease!  blight  of  the  vines!  and  all 
other  calamities.  This  same  charge  has  been  laid 
to  Protestants  who  lately  left  the  Romish  Church 
under  the  labours  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chiniquy,  in  Illinois. 
The  failure  of  the  harvests,  and  the  sickness,  the 
want  of  money  in  the  country,  and  all  other  tem- 
poral trials,  were  said  by  the  Romanists  to  be 
caused  by  the  little  colony  of  St.  Anne,  when  they 
left  the  church  that  would  not  let  them  have  the 
Bible.  Our  Lord  did  not  think  Bible  reading  to  be 
such  a  sin  !  No!  it  is  his  will  that  we  "give  atten- 
tion to  reading  and  sound  doctrine,"  and  "hold  fast 
the  form  of  sound  words." 

The  Bishop's  zeal  led  him  to  f)en  the  most  singular 
expressions.  "  He  speaks  of  the  Divine  aid  and  mercy 
in  enabling  them  to  di'ive  away  the  heretics.     He 


A   LOOK    BACK    AT    MADEIRA.  135 

says  to  Lis  flock,  that  '  the  Lord  compassionating 
your  troubled  situation,  condescended  to  excite  and 
direct,  by  way  of  moderation  and  charity,  (!)  your 
purified  religious  zeal,  (!)  and  natural  energy  ;  and 
by  an  extraordinary  mode,  and  perhaps  strange  in 
the  eyes  of  the  world,  to  snatch  from  the  midst  of 
this  flock,  already  almost  torn  to  pieces,  that  wolf 
from  Scotland.  Blessed  be  the  God  of  mercies, 
and  Father  of  all  consolation,  who  thus  conde- 
scended to  succour  us,  and  console  us.'  As  an 
expression  of  their  gratitude  and  joy,  in  view  of 
the  things  that  had  been  done,  he  orders  that  in  all 
the  churches  they  '  sing  the  hymn,  Te  Deum  laud- 
amus.' 

"  When  the  tidings  of  the  Bartholomew  massacre 
reached  Rome,  in  1572,  and  the  Pope  and  cardi- 
nals marched  to  the  church  of  St.  Louis  to  give 
thanks  unto  God  for  the  victory  over  the  Protestants, 
then  the  Pope  ordered  the  '  Te  Deum  laudamus'  to 
be  sung.  What  then  is  the  difi'erence  between  po- 
pery in  1572  and  in  18-46  ? 

"  May  the  daily  prayers,  ofiiered  by  the  converts 
from  Madeira  for  the  conversion  of  those  who  have 
cast  them  into  prison,  and  driven  them  from  their 
country,  be  graciously  answered ;  so  that  the  final 
destiny  of  persecutors  may  not  be  theirs." 


136  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

ARSEXIO   NICOS    DA   SILVA. 

"  He  not  only  belongs  to  that  class  who  are  to  be  in  everlasting 
remembrance,  but  he  is  eminent  among  them." 

In  the  most  pleasant  part  of  the  chief  city  of 
Madeira  dwelt  the  family  of  Da  Silva.  Arsenio 
Nicos  was  born  in  1800.  His  father  was  a  man  of 
wealth  and  high  esteem.  The  garden  about  his 
house  was  cultivated  with  so  much  taste  that  strangers 
upon  the  island  visited  it  as  one  of  the  notable  places. 
The  rich  variety  of  grapes,  plants,  and  flowers,  with 
the  politeness  of  the  family,  made  it  a  delightful 
resort. 

The  Da  Silvas  were  members  of  the  Roman  church, 
and  believed  in  its  rites  and  infallibility.  They  had 
taken  for  granted  what  the  priest  said,  and  had  not 
searched  the  Scriptures  to  find  whether  they  were 
taught  the  truth.  They  believed  that  the  priests 
•were  the  holiest  and  greatest  of  men  :  adored  the 
Virgin  Mary ;  felt  willing  to  kiss  the  Pope's  toe ; 
almost  shuddered  when  a  Bishop  passed  by ;  and  no 
doubt  they  knew  as  little  about  the  Latin  mumbled 
over  at  mass,  as  we  do  in  hearing  it  read  by  a  priest. 


ARSENIO   NICOS    DA    SILVA.  137 

Among  their  children  were  two  sons,  Arsenio  and 
Casirairo.  These  sons  were  carefully  taught  the 
rites  of  Romanism,  the  fear  of  a  priest,  and  the 
worship  of  saints,  Thej  were  every  day  presented 
before  the  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  as  if  it  could 
bless  them,  and  she  was  entreated  to  watch  over 
these  children  and  make  them  priests  of  the  church. 
Could  Mary  have  spoken  from  heaven  she  would 
have  said,  *' "Worship  God,"  and  pointed  them  to 
Him  who  said,  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto 
me." 

These  sons  were  sent  to  the  best  schools  on  the 
island.  No  pains  were  spared  to  make  them  as  learned 
as  any  of  the  priests  ever  become.  They  grew  fond 
of  books,  and  were  very  diligent  in  their  studies. 
They  received  some  oflBce  in  the  church  called 
*'  minor  orders,"  and  were  reported  to  be  ready  for 
studying  the  theology  of  the  church. 

Thus  far  had  they  gone,  but  were  unwilling  to  go 

any  farther.     They  refused  to  become  priests.    They 

had  eyes  to  see  and  ears  to  hear.     They  saw   too 

much  of  the  sins  of  the  priests,  and  did  not  wish  to 

be  counted  with  such  men.     They  perhaps  had  heard 

and   read  of  those  strange  transactions  of  popes, 

cardinals,  and  priests,  which  once  shocked  a  Luther 

and  a  Calvin.     It  may  be  that  they  learned  in  some 

way  that  there  had  been  a  great  Reformation  in  the 

16th    century,    and  wondered  why  the  church    in 

Madeira  was  not  reformed. 

Their  parents  were   astonished.     They  besought 
12  *  ^  o 


138  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

them  even  with  tears  to  remember  how  much  their 
education  had  cost,  how  many  prayers  and  vows 
had  been  made  to  the  Virgin,  how  much  honour 
they  would  have  if  they  became  priests,  and  how 
they  might  become  Bishops  and  Cardinals ;  but 
they  did  not  care  for  such  entreaties.  The  father- 
confessor  could  not  persuade  them  to  put  on  gowns 
and  shave  their  heads. 

Casimiro  loved  money  and  lands,  just  as  his 
parents  had  done  before  him.  His  mother  thought 
she  could  touch  that  chord,  and  so  she  told  him  if  he 
would  become  a  priest  he  should  have  a  large  estate 
and  be  regarded  by  her  as  the  favourite  son.  She 
held  out  the  shining  gold  ! 

This  appeal  was  very  strong  and  went  home  to 
his  heart.  It  touched  the  intended  chord,  and  he 
felt  the  power  of  the  music.  He  then  began  to  feel 
a  struggle  between  his  love  of  gold,  and  his  hatred 
of  priests.  He  abhorred  the  vow  of  celibacy  which 
he  would  be  required  to  take ;  but  he  also  abhorred 
the  loss  of  the  riches  which  his  mother  promised. 
Methinks — for  we  Protestants  may  think — that  if 
the  Virgin  had  spoken  to  him  she  would  have  pointed 
him  to  her  poor  Son  and  her  glorious  Saviour. 

He  yielded  to  the  charm  of  riches.  He  became 
a  priest.  He  did  not  believe  in  what  he  was  obliged 
to  do  and  say.  He  hated  the  office  and  the  church. 
His  duties  were  a  burden,  and  his  soul  was  not  at 
rest.  A  request  was  made  by  him  to  be  released 
from  the  office.     The   "dispensation"  was  granted, 


ARSENIO   NICOS    DA    SILVA.  139 

and  he  took  his  money,  settled  down  upon  his  estate, 
and  is  now,  we  suppose,  living  as  a  gentleman  re- 
tired from  office  and  business. 

Arsenio  could  not  be  induced  to  enter  the  priest- 
ly office.  He  had  more  stability  of  character,  more 
intellect,  and  more  principle  than  his  brother.  His 
conscience  was  not  to  be  bought  with  gold  or  honour. 
Yet  he  was  not  a  believer  in  religion,  lie  knew 
only  one  form  of  religion,  and  that  he  knew  was 
corrupt.  lie  could  not  then  see  that  Romanism 
was  not  Christianity,  nor  that  Christianity  was  truly 
from  God.  He  saw  how  foolish  it  was  to  worship 
the  Virgin  and  other  saints,  but  could  not  perceive 
how  wise  and  happy  it  would  be  to  believe  and  wor- 
ship Jesus  Christ. 

He  became  a  merchant.  He  was  polite,  pleasant, 
honest,  and  energetic,  so  that  he  soon  had  an  exten- 
sive business.  He  made  himself  a  large  fortune, 
little  knowing  that  one  day  he  would  gladly  leave 
all  and  follow  Christ. 

When  about  twenty-five  years  of  age — when 
Ilewitson  was  called  the  boy  of  a  book,  Arsenio 
married  a  young  lady  of  a  very  wealthy  family. 
She  was  gay,  worldly,  and  by  no  means  inclined  to 
take  the  black  veil  in  a  nunnery.  She  was  admired 
as  very  beautiful  and  highly  accomplished.  The 
friends  all  thought  this  a  most  happy  union.  One 
child  smiled  upon  them  to  make  home  happy.  They 
made  this  only  daughter  an  idol  in  their  hearts. 
They  did  all  they  could  to  make  her  as  near  a  queen 


140  THE   EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

as  possible.  If  she  should  live,  she  would  one  day 
be  very  rich,  and  they  wished  to  see  her  well  edu- 
cated, and  adorned  with  every  accomplishment  their 
city  could  bestow.  Her  "god-mother"  was  very 
rich,  and  had  made  a  will  leaving  her  immense  wealth 
to  this  young  lady.  Perhaps  too  the  bachelor  uncle, 
who  satisfied  both  his  love  of  gold  and  his  hatred  of 
the  priesthood,  was  supposed  to  have  such  a  will  in 
reserve  for  his  beautiful  niece. 

But  God  had  other  purpuses.  He  had  a  legacy 
for  that  infidel  father  which  only  a  Redeemer  can 
give.  She  was  to  be  a  link  in  the  chain  of  means 
which  would  bring  her  father  to  Christ. 

Disease  crept  slowly  through  her  veins  and  hid 
itself  there,  only  to  work  death  the  more  perfectly. 
Perhaps  she  had  not  played  enough  in  the  sunny 
vineyards,  or  had  studied  too  closely  at  school.  The 
visions  of  her  future  looked  toward  the  grave. 

The  best  physicians  were  called,  but  they  could 
do  little  good.  The  Virgin  Mary  was  invoked  and 
she  did  still  less.  It  is  not  her  work  to  hear  prayer 
or  heal  the  sick.  She  is  engaged  in  praising  her 
Saviour  in  heaven.  The  young  lady  still  declined, 
and  the  parents  would  give  anything  they  had  to 
restore  her  to  health.  It  is  a  sad  affliction  for  any 
parents  to  follow  such  a  daughter  to  the  grave. 

In  1840  Dr.  Kalley  had  gained  a  great  reputa- 
tion on  the  island  as  a  skilful  physician.  Many 
came  to  consult  him  in  very  difficult  and  almost 
hopeless  cases.     His  success  had  been  remarkable. 


ARSENIO    NICOS    DA    SILVA.  141 

God  seemed  to  bless  him.  The  reader  will  remember 
the  method  he  adopted  to  point  all  his  patients  to 
the  Great  Remedy  for  the  soul. 

Da  Silva  was  advised  to  send  for  the  Scottish 
physician.  No  doubt  he  was  ashamed  to  do  so,  but 
as  a  last  resort  for  healing  his  beloved  daughter,  he 
consented  to  go  and  consult  him.  It  reminds  us  of 
Kaaman  going  to  Elisha.  He  found  Dr.  Kalley 
very  kind  and  ready  to  do  all  he  could.  As  Dr. 
Kalley  came  near  the  rich  house,  many  eyes  were 
upon  him.  Even  the  servants  exclaimed,  "  The 
Doctor  I  the  English  Doctor  !" 

He  entered  softly,  sat  down  by  the  bedside  of  the 
young  lady,  and  tenderly  spoke  of  her  sickness. 
He  learned  all  he  could  about  the  cause.  Then  he 
prayed  God  to  make  him  wise  in  prescribing  the 
medicine,  and  to  make  it  a  means  of  healing.  He 
also  entreated  the  patient  to  look  to  Jesus  as  the 
great  physician,  who  alone  could  restore  her  to 
health.  No  such  physician  had  ever  been  in  that 
house  before.  While  they  all  wondered,  he  re- 
quested the  parents  to  seek  her  recovery  by  prayer 
to  Jesus  Christ. 

Several  visits  were  paid  by  Da  Silva  to  Dr.  Kal- 
ley. He  saw  his  dear  child  recovering  day  by  day. 
It  seemed  as  if  God  was  very  merciful  to  him  and 
his  family.  He  one  day  asked  that  he  might  talk 
•with  the  doctor  at  his  own  house  privately.  He 
came,  and  they  sat  down  together.  It  seems  that 
he  had  already  heard  Dr.   Kalley  preach  on  the 


142  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

need  of  a  change  in  the  sinner's  heart  and  life,  and 
he  felt  that  he  needed  it  more  than  all  others.  In 
his  business  he  could  not  forget  the  ring  of  gospel 
words.  The  written  word  had  become  the  voice 
from  heaven.  And  now  as  he  sat  down  he  felt  wil- 
ling to  be  as  a  little  child. 

"  On  what  subject  do  you  wish  to  speak  ?"  asked 
Dr.  Kallej. 

"  About  the  way  in  which  a  guilty  man  can, 
under  the  government  of  a  just  God,  escape  the 
punishment  which  he  deserves." 

"  Well,  tell  me  what  you  think  about  it." 

"  I  understand  that  in  baptism  the  death  of 
Christ  is  so  applied  as  to  free  from  original  sin ;" 
and  then  he  went  on  to  speak  of  penances  and 
masses,  and  good  works  as  atoning  for  actual  trans- 
gressions.    This  is  Romish  doctrine. 

"I  understand,"  said  Dr.  Kalley,  interrupting 
him,  "  that  the  blood  of  Christ  cleanses  from  all 
sin." 

"What?"  cried  Da  Silva. 

*'  I  understand  that  the  blood  of  Christ  cleanses 
from  all  sin,  of  every  kind." 

"Tell  me  that  again!" 

"  No :  but  here,  read  here,  and  here" — as  the 
Doctor  pointed  out  several  texts  in  the  Bible.  The 
inquirer  read,  and  great  tears  came  coursing  down 
his  cheeks  as  his  eye  fell  on  the  plain  words  of  God 
which  attested  the  wondrous  truth.  Then  the  light 
of  the  cross  seemed  to  break  in  upon  his  soul.     He 


ARSENIO    NICOS    DA    SILVA.  14S 

could  see  why  Christ  died,  and  how  he  loved  guilty 
sinners.  lie  began  to  understand  the  doctrine  of 
God's  free  favour  in  pardoning  the  lost  and  undone. 
He  was  wiser  than  Nicodemus,  and  more  willing 
than  Naaman.  Now  he  could  see  why  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Bible  produced  such  good  effects  on 
those  who  loved,  believed,  and  practised  them. 

"We  would  gladly  know  more  of  wliat  passed  dur- 
ing that  hour.  He  received  then  the  first  Bible  he 
had  ever  read.  Yes,  he  had  been  once  prepared  to 
study  the  theology  of  the  priests,  and  yet  had  never 
read  a  Bible  !     Remember  Luther. 

Eagerly  did  he  read  the  word  of  God ;  gladly 
did  he  become  a  convert  to  its  doctrines.  Boldly 
did  he  defend  it  and  the  persecuted  converts. 
Humbly  did  he  bow  to  Jesus,  praying,  "  Create  in 
me  a  clean  heart."  Submissively  did  he  yield  to 
the  Holy  Ghost  to  renew  and  sanctify  his  heart. 
Willingly  now  would  he  sacrifice  everything  in  this 
world  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  His  case  reminds  us  of 
those  who  came  first  to  Jesus  to  be  healed,  or  to 
have  a  friend  healed,  and  who  went  away  believing 
in  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God.  Remember 
Mary  Magdalene  and  blind  Bartimeus. 

Dr.  Kalley  had  heard  him  called  "o  avarento," 
"the  miser."  At  this  time  the  Doctor  was  trying 
to  furnish  a  small  hospital.  Da  Silva  sent  him  a 
large  basket  full  of  sheets,  towels,  and  other  ar- 
ticles of  comfort,  and  along  with  them  a  note,  say- 
ing,  "  My  heart  was   gangrened ;    it  has  felt  the 


144        THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 

power  of  the  love  of  God ;  and  I  send  jou  the  first 
fruits  of  it."  Good  fruits  were  these  to  help  a 
"good  Samaritan"  in  taking  care  of  the  poor  and 
the  sick,  but  these  were  only  an  earnest  of  what 
was  to  follow.     No  longer  was  he  "  the  miser." 

Da  Silva  had  heard  strange  things  of  this  "father 
in  Christ."  The  priests  were  obliged  to  admit  that 
he  was  a  skilful  physician,  but  they  said  he  was  in 
league  with  Satan,  to  overturn  the  Romish  Church. 
One  of  them  called  him  "a  devil  incarnate,"  and 
hoped  to  see  the  day  when  he  and  his  Bibles,  and 
all  who  believed  them  would  be  burned  together 
on  the  public  square,  in  front  of  the  Governor's 
house !  This  priest  must  have  known  little  of  the 
Bible. 

Da  Silva  heard  nothing  like  that  from  his  new 
friend  and  brother,  who  wept  with  many  tears,  as 
he  urged  men  to  flee  for  refuge  to  Jesus,  or  prayed 
with  deepest  emotion  for  priests  and  people.  He 
was  ever  ready  when  persecuted  to  give  response  in 
those  words  from  the  cross,  "  Father,  forgive  them, 
for  they  know  not  what  they  do  !"  This  rich  convert 
could  see  the  difference  between  these  preachers, 
and  he  too  wept  while  hearing  the  truth  spoken  in 
love,  or  praying  for  his  enemies. 

How  different,  too,  were  the  Bible-readers  from 
their  opposers  !  Even  enemies  were  forced  to  say, 
"  We  call  these  people  ugly  names,  but  they  don't 
answer  back ;  we  spit  upon  them,  but  they  don't  get 
angry;  we  beat  them,  and  they  seem  pleased;  we 


ARSENIO    NICOS    DA    SILVA.  145 

break  open  their  houses,  and  destroy  their  prop- 
erty, and  they  are  happy;  we  put  thein  in  jail,  and 
they  sing;  we  can't  make  them  unhappy  I"'  This 
might  have  been  said  at  Philippi  in  the  days  of 
Paul  and  Silas.  Da  Silva  could  see  the  reason  of 
this  contrast. 

"  Mrs.  Da  Silva,  who  had  been  persuaded  by  her 
husband  to  hear  Dr.  Kalley,  when  she  saw  the  tears 
in  his  eyes,  became  very  much  troubled.  She  was 
afraid  that  the  servants  or  the  people  would  hear  of 
the  views  Mr.  Da  Silva  had  of  himself  as  a  sinner, 
and  they  would  think  he  was  a  very  bad  man.  She 
had  no  doubt  that  her  lord,  (as  ladies  address  their 
husbands  in  Madeira,)  was  a  perfect  gentleman,  and 
ought  not  to  be  compared  with  those  who  had  not 
noble  blood  in  their  veins.  She  thought  he  had 
mistaken  his  own  character. 

"  The  Bible  became  the  companion  of  Mr.  Da 
Silva,  and  prayer  his  delight.  He  had  not  only 
felt  that  he  was  a  lost  and  wretched  sinner,  justly 
condemned,  but  he  had  also  experienced  the  power 
of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion, only  by  faith,  flashed  upon  his  mind  like  light 
from  heaven.  This  opened  his  eyes  to  see  the 
awful  state  of  those  who  sought  salvation  by  virtue 
of  their  own  works.  This  filled  him  with  the 
deepest  distress  for  the  conversion  of  his  wife,  his 
daughter,  and  his  blind  countrymen.  He  poured 
out  his  heart  in  prayer  to  God  for  them. 

"Before  his  soul  rejoiced  in  the  full  light  of  the 
13 


146  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

Gospel,  it  is  interesting  to  see  how  the  Spirit  of 
God  enlightened  his  mind,  and  led  him  on  from  one 
degree  of  knowledge  to  another.  When  reading 
the  Bible,  he  came  to  the  Epistle  of  Peter ;  he  was 
delighted  to  find  an  epistle  from  that  apostle.  He 
was  ignorant  of  its  existence,  up  to  the  hour  when 
his  eye  rested  upon  it.  As  he  had  always  been 
taught  that  Peter  was  the  supreme  head  of  the 
church  on  earth,  he  supposed  here,  if  anywhere,  he 
would  find  the  doctrines  and  ceremonies  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church.  After  reading  it  again  and 
again  with  the  closest  attention,  he  was  surprised 
to  learn  that  nothing  resembling  the  mass,  purga- 
tory, confession,  praying  to  the  saints  and  to 
the  Virgin,  as  taught  by  the  Romish  church,  was 
to  be  found  in  the  writings  of  Peter. 

"  The  epistles  of  Peter  would  make  an  excellent 
tract  to  put  into  the  hands  of  all  Romanists  who 
have  a  high  respect  for  the  authority  and  suprem- 
acy of  that  apostle.  They  would  see,  as  in  sun- 
beams, how  little  gold  and  silver,  and  how  much  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ  has  to  do  in  the  salvation 
of  souls. 

"  The  conversion  of  Mr.  Da  Silva  was  known  to 
all  the  inhabitants  of  Madeira,  not  merely  because 
he  was  a  man  of  great  wealth  and  influence,  but  es- 
pecially by  the  remarkable  change  in  his  life.  He 
mingled  with  the  Bible-readers,  who  were  despised 
and  treated  with  contempt  by  those  with  whom  he 
had  always  been  associated.     Instead  of  attending 


ARSENIC    NICOS    DA    SILVA.  147 

the  gay  and  brilliant  parties,  where  his  wife  and 
friends  found  their  highest  happiness,  he  went  to 
pray  with  the  persecuted  Bible-readers.  In  their 
little  circles  of  prayer  he  enjoyed  richer  blessings 
than  the  gaiety  or  pleasures  of  the  world  could  im- 
part. 

*'  One  of  these  meetings,  for  prayer  and  reading 
the  Scriptures,  was  held  in  a  private  family,  about 
a  mile  from  his  house.  We  are  told,  by  some 
members  of  that  family,  that  Mr.  Da  Sil  va  was  always 
expected  to  be  present.  They  depended  upon  him 
to  conduct  the  exercises,  and  to  read  and  expound 
the  word  of  God.  His  whole  soul  was  engaged  in 
this  work.  These  precious  meetings  will  never  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  attended  them.  They  will  ever 
remember,  with  indescribable  interest,  the  fervent, 
tearful  prayers,  and  edifying  exhortations  of  Mr.  Da 
Silva.  By  these,  as  the  means,  their  courage  and 
faith  were  increased  at  the  time  when  they  were 
about  to  pass  through  the  fires  of  persecution.  These 
seasons  of  previous  communion  with  God,  and  with 
each  other,  were  continued,  until  the  family  had  to 
flee  for  their  lives  to  the  mountains." 

One  of  the  judges  of  the  island  married  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  Da  Silva.  It  pained  his  heart 
not  to  see  her  also  a  follower  of  Jesus.  She,  who 
had  boon  a  means  of  brinsin^  him  under  the  influence 
of  the  gospel,  and  who  had  received  such  a  blessing 
from  its  messenger    and  from   his  God   of  mercy, 


148  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

would  not  "heed  the  things  which  were  spoken."  It 
often  occurs,  that  thej  who  are  the  most  benefitted 
bj  a  blessing  are   the  least  grateful. 

This  judge  was  he  who  declined  to  arrest  Mr. 
Hewitson,  on  the  ground  that  his  authority  did  not 
extend  over  him  ;  perhaps  the  friendship  between 
his  father-in-law  and  the  missionary  had  some  weight 
in  his  mind. 

Mr.  Da  Silva  had  become  a  member  and  an  elder 
in  the  church,  under  Mr.  Hewitson.  With  such  a 
pastor  and  teacher,  he  must  have  grown  rapidly  in 
knowledge  and  grace.  It  is  a  wonder  that  he  was 
not  imprisoned.  "Bonds  and  afflictions  awaited 
him." 

The  reader  will  remember  the  attack  upon  the 
house  of  the  Misses  Rutherford,  and  the  man  who 
had  an  image  thrust  in  his  face  with  the  command 
to  "kiss  it,"  "adore  it,"  but  who  refused  the  idol- 
atry. Rome  owed  that  man  a  grudge.  The  abuse 
of  that  hour  was  not  enough.  He  was  too  prominent 
a  man  to  be  allowed  his  liberty.  Neither  the  power 
of  wealth,  nor  his  high  standing  as  a  citizen  could 
screen  him  from  harm.  His  near  friends,  of  such  influ- 
ence as  his  wife  and  son-in-law  ought  to  have  exerted, 
were  not  enough  to  save  him  from  danger.  He 
must  either  return  to  the  church  of  Rome,  or  fly 
from  his  family  and  home,  from  wealth  and  native 
land.  Others  were  speeding  away  for  life ;  so  too 
must   he.     Already  he  was  obliged  to  keep  away 


ARSENIO    NICOS    DA    SILVA  149 

from  the  city.  Among  the  mountains,  so  often 
the  kindest  refuges  God's  people  could  find,  he 
"wandered,  a  sheep,  yes  a  shepherd,  hunted  by  the 
wolves. 

He  could  not  bid  farewell  on  a  bright  morning  at 
his  own  door,  order  his  well  packed  trunks  to  the 
harbour,  get  into  a  fine  carriage,  and  pass  through 
the  streets  in  style,  bowing  to  many  friends  as  they 
bowed  goodbye  to  him.  Every  pang  of  parting  was 
made  as  intense  as  possible.  The  love  of  his  wife 
was  a  small  oflfset  to  her  want  of  sympathy  with  him 
in  his  religion.  It  was  but  a  "  drop  of  honey  in  a 
quart  of  gall."  Any  respect  of  his  son-in-law  was 
nothintj  to  the  shameful  refusal  to  defend  and  save 
him  from  an  exile.  Of  his  daughter  he  could  have 
said,  "  How  can  I  give  thee  up  !"  Once  he  had 
been  ready  to  give  and  do  anything  for  her ;  now 
she  is  not  ready  to  use  all  possible  means  to  keep 
him  at  home. 

He  was  obliged  to  come  from  the  mountains  to 
the  city  in  the  night,  if  he  would  see  his  family.  He 
hired  a  man  to  stand  at  the  corner  of  a  certain  street 
at  an  appointed  hour.  All  was  dark  and  silent.  He 
came  and  met  this  man  who  showed  him  to  a  house 
where  he  could  be  concealed.  Then  he  sent  for  his 
•wife,  obtained  a  little  money,  hastened  to  a  ship  and 
Bailed  for  Lisbon. 

Never  again  did  he  see  his  family.  Letters 
passed  between  them,  and  he  would  often  say,  years 
13* 


150  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

after  this,  "  I  have  a  letter  from  my  wife — kind 
friendly  letter,  but  no  good,  no  spiritual  in  it — no 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ." 

The  Lord  had   a  future  work  for  this  Christian 
hero. 


REV.    MR.    HEWITSON    IN    TRINIDAD.  151 


CIIAPTEIl   XII. 
REV.    MR.    HEWITSON    IN   TRINIDAD. 

"He  will  guide  me  with  his  eye,"  wrote  Mr. 
Ilewitson  while  absent,  "  whether  it  be  back  again 
to  Madeira  or  not."  lie  learned  that  he  must  go 
to  Trinidad,  "  not  only  to  administer  gospel  consola- 
tion, but  to  reorganize  the  exiles  into  a  compacted 
church  order." 

January  2nd  1847,  he  sailed  from  Southampton. 
The  winds  were  contrary.  He  was  soon  lying  sick 
in  his  cabin,  translating  Mr.  H.  Bonar's  hymn,  "  I 
lay  my  sins  on  Jesus,"  into  Portuguese,  and  a  met- 
rical version  of  the  23rd  Psalm.  This  was  the  be- 
ginning of  a  Hymn-Book  for  the  Portuguese  church. 

lie  felt  that  he  must  do  something  for  the  Master 
on  the  voyage.  If  we  do  not  work  where  we  are, 
we  will  not  be  likely  to  do  any  good  in  any  other 
place.  "  Among  the  passengers,"  he  says,  "  I  have 
come  in  contact  with  only  one  who  seems  truly 
desirous  of  walking  with  God."  This  was  a  man 
who  took  an  interest  in  the  new  mission  as  its  thrill- 
ing history  was  told  him,  and  he  gave  ten  pound3 
for  the  Trinidad  fund.     Mr.  Ilewitson  gave  him  a 


152  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

copy  of  the  old  book  called  "  The  Marrow  of  Modern 
Divinity,"*  and  he  was  so  pleased  with  it  that  he 
one  day  put  a  five  pound  note  in  the  missionary's 
hand,  saying,  "  This  book  is  worth  that  to  me."  Of 
this  kindness  the  sufFerins:  exiles  should  have  the 
benefit.  He  was  taking  ^200  for  their  relief — what 
was  this  among  so  many  ? 

Mr.  Hewitson  did  not  expect  to  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  visiting  Madeira.  But  he  was  gladly  per- 
mitted to  do  so.  The  vessel  landed  him  at  a  secluded 
point  of  the  city,  and  two  gentlemen  quietly  led  him 
to  a  house  near  by.  Then  he  was  put  in  a  palan- 
quin, and  carried  through  the  streets  to  the  residence 
of  a  sure  friend,  where  his  unexpected  visit  was  re- 
ceived with  joy.  Several  converts  came  there  to 
see  him.  It  was  a  happy  hour.  Then,  veiled  in 
the  palanquin,  he  made  a  few  other  calls,  and  was 
taken  back  to  the  steamer,  whose  wheels  were  soon 
working  away  to  Trinidad.  Remember  Paul's  short 
visit  at  ^[iletus. 

February  4th,  1847,  he  was  at  Trinidad.  The 
**  meetings  and  greetings,  the  embraces,  the  tears,  the 
laughinors"  cannot  be  told.  The  welcome  was  kind 
and  cordial,  from  those  whom  he  had  well  known  in 
Madeira. 

There  were  now  about  four  hundred  and  fifty 
exiles  in  Trinidad,  most  of  whom  were  numbered  with 
the  converts  to  Christ.  Eighty-five  members  of  the 
church  were  there.     Three  of  the  seven  elders,  and 

*  This  lias  been  published  by  the  Board  of  Publication. 


REV.    MR.    DEWITSON    IN    TRINIDAD.  153 

four  of  the  nine  deacons  had  come  from  Madeira. 
About  thirty  persons  soon  applieil  for  admission  to 
the  church. 

How  were  these  exiles  to  be  supported  ?  They 
were  in  a  strange  land.  They  were  not  familiar 
with  the  language  of  their  benefactors.  They  found 
all  classes  of  people  from  several  diflferent  nations. 
The  island  had  become  a  sort  of  *'  stowing-away 
place,"  for  sufferers  and  slaves  from  Africa  and 
India.  Many  of  these  foreigners  were  sunk  in  the 
lowest  state  of  superstition  and  wickedness.  The 
native  inhabitants  had  been  so  overrun  by  these 
heathen  bands,  that  some  of  them  left  their  estates 
and  retired  to  the  forests  to  make  new  homes.  Yet 
there  were  some  Christians  among  the  islanders, 
who  had  warm  hearts  to  relieve  the  exiles  of  Ma- 
deira. Several  of  the  planters  were  willing  to  hire 
them  to  work  on  the  sugar  estates.  But  remember 
that  these  exiles  knew  nothing  of  that  kind  of 
labour.  Some  of  them  had  been  wealthy,  and  their 
hands  were  not  skilful  to  toil  for  their  daily  bread. 
Many  women  and  children  must  have  a  lighter  em- 
ployment- 

**  Something  must  be  done,"  wrote  Mr.  Ilewitson, 
"for  the  more  safe  employment  of  the  exiles.  I  am 
revolving  a  scheme  which  none  but  an  Oberlin  could 
carry  vigorously  into  effect,  and  I  am  not  an  Ober- 
lin. Every  weak  muscle  in  my  body  echoes — *  not 
an  Oberlin.'  "  A  head  to  plan  was  not  all  the  need. 
Funds  were  wanted.     The  work  of  teaching,  preach- 


154  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

ing,  and  perfecting  the  church  was  enough  for  more 
than  any  one  man.  He  resided  at  the  capital, 
called  'Port  of  Spain,'  and  there  found  most  of  his 
church  about  him.  He  had  his  '  class'  newly  started  ; 
a  Sabbath-school  was  commenced  ;  a  day-school  was 
begun  ;  and  he  had  many  inquirers  to  instruct,  many 
mourners  to  comfort,  many  weak  believers  to  en- 
courage, and  many  poor  to  assist.  He  went  regular- 
ly to  Arouca,  fourteen  miles  distant,  and  held 
meetings  ;  also  to  Santa  Cruz,  ten  miles  away,  where 
he  found  some  Portuguese.  Twelve  of  them  were 
Protestants,  and  eight  were  Romanists.  All  the 
Protestants  were  together  on  one  estate.  After 
their  day's  labour,  they  met  together  for  worship. 
Some  of  the  Romanists  gladly  heard  the  word. 
About  one  hundred  of  the  converts  were  thus 
scattered  about  on  sugar  estates  and  cocoa  planta- 
tions. He  went  to  them  all,  and  often  preached 
under  the  shadows  of  the  trees.  To  learn  how  one 
half-a-week  was  laboriously  passed,  read  the  follow- 
ing letter  to  his  parents,  written  March  31st : 

*'  On  Wednesday,  last  week,  I  left  this  place  in  a 
gig,  at  a  little  after  six,  A.  M.  and  travelling  ten 
miles,  preached  to  forty  Portuguese  in  the  open  air 
under  the  shadow  of  a  large  tree.  Afterwards  I 
went  a  distance  of  six  or  seven  miles  more,  and 
preached  in  an  upper  room  to  about  twenty  Por- 
tuguese. Then  returning  four  or  five  miles,  I 
preached  again  in  Mr.  Brodie's  church  at  Arouca, 
to  a  number  of  Portuguese,  who  assembled,  after 


REV.    MR.    IIEWITSON    IX    TRINIDAD.  155 

their  day's  work,  from  a  distance  of  two  miles.  On 
Thursday  morning  I  was  here  to  breakfast,  having 
left  Arouca  pretty  early.  If  the  Lord  will,  I  shall 
be  at  Arouca  again  next  Sabbath,  administering  the 
communion  and  preaching  twice."  This  was  coming 
very  near  to  proving  himself  an  Oberlin.  We 
wonder  how  such  a  weak  body  could  endure  such 
labours,  attended,  as  they  were,  by  anxieties  which 
cannot  be  written.  "  Working  in  this  hot  climate 
suits  me  ill,"  he  writes  ;  "  I  scarcely  know  what  it 
is  to  be  free  from  fatigue." 

The  Romanists  saw  and  felt  these  labours.  With 
a  glad  heart  he  could  write  : 

"  '  In  this  island  there  are  a  considerable  number 
of  Portuguese  from  Madeira,  who  came  here  staunch 
Roman  catholics  ;  and  of  these  several  have  beea 
led,  by  means  of  intercourse  with  their  converted 
countrymen,  to  embrace  the  Protestant  faith.  Three 
of  these  have  expressed  a  desire  to  be  admitted  to 
the  Lord's  table,  and  another  of  them  travelled 
eighteen  miles  last  Saturday  evening  in  order  to 
attend  public  worship  with  us  on  the  following  day. 
One  of  the  most  recent  of  the  converts  from  Popery, 
and  one  whose  heart  seemed  to  have  been  truly 
opened  by  the  Lord  to  receive  the  word  of  grace,  is 
labouring  under  a  white  swelling  at  the  knee  which 
makes  amputation  necessary,  as  the  only  means  of  sav- 
ing his  life.  Two  or  three  Sabbaths  ago,  this  man, 
yielding  to  an  irresistible  desire  to  hear  the  gospel 
in  public,  made  the  dangerous  effort  of  travelling  to 


156  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

church  on  crutches,  and  back  again,  a  painful  journey 
of  nearly  two  miles.  Surely  such  as  he  will  rise  up 
in  the  judgment  against  those  who,  possessing  greater 
advantages,  yet  *' neglect  the  great  salvation,"  and 
"forsake  the  assembling  of  themselves  together"  in 
the  house  of  God." 

One  glance  at  the  temporal  condition  of  the 
exiles.  On  the  sugar  plantations  many  suffered. 
The  low  marshy  ground,  so  different  from  the  vine- 
lands  of  their  native  home,  together  with  the  hot 
air,  made  their  condition  very  sad.  Many  of  them 
had  fevers  of  the  deadly  type.  Others  were  obliged 
to  retreat  to  the  highlands  and  to  the  capital.  The 
Governor  ordered  the  removal.  This  Governor 
was  Lord  Harris,  of  England,  who  exerted  himself 
most  generously  in  behalf  of  the  sufferers.  Other 
labourers  on  the  plantations  suffered  from  other 
diseases,  and  especially  from  failure  of  eye-sight. 
About  fifty  of  the  refugees  were  supported  by  cul- 
tivating the  sugar  cane,  when  only  sixteen  of  them 
were  able  to  do  the  work.     Mr.  Hewitson  wrote : 

"  The  greater  proportion  of  the  exiled  brethren 
have  found  occupation  in  the  capital  of  the  island, 
Port  of  Spain,  or  its  vicinity.  Xot  a  few  of  them 
are  distributed  in  domestic  service  among:  the  fam- 
ilies  resident  there.  Some  are  occupied  in  garden- 
ing and  similar  rustic  labour.  A  few  have  com- 
menced shopkeeping  on  a  small  scale,  being  unable 
to  gain  a  livelihood  by  any  other  means.  While 
those   of    them   who   are   masons,  carpenters,  and 


REV.    MR.    HEWITSON    IX    TRINIDAD.  1.07 

slioemakers,  are  endeavouring,  in  their  respective 
departments  of  labour,  to  earn  a  livelihood.  The 
female  converts,  who,  in  Madeira,  were  able  to  sup- 
port themselves  by  needlework,  are  still  dependent 
on  the  same  means  of  support,  but  their  earnings 
are  comparatively  small  and  precarious.  Wliile 
some  of  the  brethren  are,  by  the  goodness  of  God, 
in  comfortable  enough  circumstances,  not  a  few  have 
such  difficulties  to  strufrffle  with  as  tend  at  once  to 

CO 

keep  them  hanging  in  daily  dependence  upon  the 
Lord." 

Another  glance  at  their  spiritual  condition.  The 
elders  and  the  deacons  had  been  faithful,  and  had 
kept  up  meetings  before  Mr.  Hewitson  arrived. 
Some  persons  had  grown  sorrowful  under  the  heavy 
burden,  and  had  almost  forgotten  to  cast  it  on  the 
Lord.  They  had  remembered  Egypt,  and  felt  lonely 
in  the  wilderness.  One  of  them  said,  "  In  Madeira 
it  was  not  so  difficult  as  it  is  here  to  walk  with  God. 
I  had  some  striking  answers  to  prayer  in  Madeira, 
but  here  God  has  not  given  such  answers  to  my 
prayers."  The  reason  was  plain.  Family-worship 
and  secret  devotion  had  been  neglected.  The  ask- 
inji  had  almost  ceased,  and  the  answers  were  with- 
held. 

The  sword  will  be  kept  bright  in  the  contest,  but 
will  rust  when  the  battle  ceases.  Take  away  the 
iron  hand  of  persecution,  and  the  heart  will  very 
naturally  be  thrown  off  its  guard,  and  become 
worldly.  We  often  feel  the  chill  of  a  summer  ev- 
14 


158  THE   EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

enino-  more  than  Tve  do  the  intense  cold  of  the  "^in- 
ter, for  we  protect  ourselves  against  the  keen  De- 
cember storm.  Thus  some  who  had  braced  their 
souls  against  the  enmity  of  Madeira,  felt  the  unsus- 
pected chill  of  Trinidadj  and  grew  cold  in  heart. 

But  not  so  with  all.  To  the  first  communion 
numbers  came,  hungering  and  thirsting  for  right- 
eousness. They  sat  under  his  shadow  with  great 
delio-ht,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to  their  taste. 
Could  they  not  lean  on  Jesus'  bosom,  and  wash  his 
feet  with  their  tears  ?  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh 
up  from  the  wilderness  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her 
beloved?"  She  was  the  refugee  church,  with  bleed- 
incr  feet,  and  garments  rolled  in  the  blood  of  her 
sons ! 

Exiles  from  Madeira  were  still  arriving.  For 
months  there  had  been  a  succession  of  flights,  when 
the  faithful,  like  Abraham,  '-went  out,  not  knowing 
whither  they  went."  They  knew  not  how  to  be 
fed  or  clothed.  Fleeing  from  one  enemy,  they 
knew  not  but  they  should  rush  into  the  face  of  an- 
other. It  might  be  '-as  if  a  man  did  flee  from  a 
lion,  and  a  bear  met  him  ;  or  went  into  the  house 
and  leaned  his  hand  on  the  wall,  and  a  serpent  bit 
him." 

Yet  many  had  strong  and  pleasant  hopes.  They 
felt  assured  that  in  Trinidad  and  the  United  States 
there  would  be  '-freedom  to  worship  God."  They 
were  willincr  to  leave  all  for  this  great  right  and 
privilege.     They  sought  a  better  country.     '*  It  was 


REV.    MR.    HEWITSON    IN   TRINIDAD.  159 

Bomething  like  the  anticipation  of  heaven  to  tho 
■\veary  and  suffering  Christian." 

Persecution  was  sweeping  Madeira  well-nigh  clean 
of  its  choicest  and  worthiest  people.  Among  the 
thorns  was  here  and  there  a  lily  left ;  among  the 
tares  some  good  seed  was  growing  secretly.  Among 
the  lawless  was  here  and  there  one  to  hold  up  the 
banner  of  truth,  and  testify  that  "  there  is  a  judg- 
ment." The  wrath  of  man  could  not  entirely  crush 
out  the  word  of  God.  The  church  of  Christ  was 
not  destroyed ;  only  removed  to  another  clime. 

Mrs.  Alves  was  among  those  who  were  heartily 
welcomed  by  her  friends.  Another,  Philippa  Rosa, 
who,  in  a  trying  hour,  had  denied  her  Lord,  was 
there.  Like  Peter  in  her  denial,  she  was  like  him 
in  repentance,  and  returned  to  her  Saviour  with 
bitter  weeping.  A  little  boy,  who  saw  his  father 
killed  and  thrown  into  the  river,  when  trying  to  es- 
cape to  the  vessel,  came  with  his  mother  to  Trinidad 
and  there  saw  his  mother  die.  God  found  friends 
for  him.     He  afterwards  came  to  America. 

Every  vine  has  its  enemy ;  every  field  of  wheat 
has  its  tares.  Trinidad  had  its  foes  to  a  pure  re- 
ligion. At  the  very  moment  when  Mr.  Ilewitson 
was  writing  about  Philippa  Rosa's  tears  of  peni- 
tence, one  of  his  flock  came  to  his  house  weeping, 
and  saying  that  in  the  house  where  she  was  acting 
as  a  servant,  she  was  most  harshlv  treated  for  re- 
fusing  to  do  evil.  The  family  were  Romanists.  *'I 
left  Madeira,"  said  she,  "  that  I  might  be  able  to 


160  THE   EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

follow  God,  and  for  nothing  else,  and  I  wish  now  to 
leave  that  family."  This  is  a  specimen  both  of  the 
spirit  of  enmity,  and  of  Mr.  Hewitson's  calls  and 
labours.  The  shepherd  must  find  a  place  for  the 
lamb.     He  wrote : 

"  Now,  more  than  ever  perhaps,  the  brethren  who 
are  '  strangers'  in  Trinidad,  need  the  prayers  of  the 
church.  They  are  exposed  to  temptations  more 
dangerous,  because  more  subtile  and  insidiously  se- 
ductive, than  those  connected  with  a  persecution 
state.  To  be  attracted  by  the  world,  under  its 
mask  of  a  graceless  Protestantism,  is  worse  than  to 
be  repelled  by  the  world  under  its  undisguised  form 
of  hatred  to  the  truth.  Let  the  church  then, — 
even  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  who  have 
heretofore  poured  forth  supplications  in  behalf  of 
the  persecuted  saints  of  Madeira, — continue  in  ear- 
nest prayer  for  them  to  the  Lord,  that  they  may  be 
'  kept  from  falling,  and  presented  faultless  before 
the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy.'  " 

The  organization  of  the  church  was  completed  in 
April,  1847,  about  two  months  after  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Hewitson.  He  would  leave  for  the  cooler 
north  in  May.  It  was  important  to  find  a  leader 
for  the  flock. 

The  eyes  of  the  faithful  had  been  directed  to  Mr. 
Da  Silva  as  the  successor  of  Mr.  Hewitson.  He 
had  studied  theology.  His  gifts  and  graces  were 
of  a  high  order.  The  Free  Church  of  Scotland 
named  him  as  their  missionary. 


REV.    MR.    IIEWITSON    IN    TRINIDAD.  IGl 

Da  Silva  went  with  joy,  and  liis  dear  former 
pastor  had  the  great  pleasure  of  handing  over  to 
this  strong  fellow-hibourer  the  care  of  the  exile 
church.  He  was  ordained  and  installed  over  his 
first  and  only  charge,  at  Port-of-Spain,  in  April, 
1847.  His  former  pastor  said  of  him,  "  He  seems 
to  have  the  Bible  always  in  his  heart,  and  his  heart 
always  in  heaven." 

When  the  people  were  asked  whether  they  would 
receive  Mr.  Da  Silva  as  their  pastor,  they  were  re- 
quested to  vote  by  raising  the  hand.  But  they 
were  too  happy  for  this ;  they  all  rose  to  their  feet, 
and  raised  both  hands  as  high  as  they  could  !  He 
would  not  lack  for  the  Aarons  and  Hurs  I 

The  good  pastor  often  made  one  remark,  which 
became  a  proverb  among  the  ministers  on  the  island. 
'''Patientia!  Patientia!"  he  would  say  pleasantly 
smiling,  when  anything  dark  or  difficult  came  up. 
Patience  I  Patience !  It  reminds  us  of  the  tradi- 
tion concerning  John,  the  beloved  disciple,  in  his 
old  age  saying  daily,  "  Little  children,  love  one  an- 
other." 

Six  hundred  in  his  flock,  and  all  exiles !  Pilgrims 
and  sojourners  indeed !  No  other  flock  like  it  in 
the  world  !  It  was  truly  a  charge.  The  labours 
were  great.  But  he  was  not  in  despaii*.  The 
property  of  the  exiles,  and  the  wretched  prospect 
of  a  better  condition  in  Trinidad,  were  truly  an 
anxiety  in  his  mind.  No  land  could  be  obtained 
for  them  to  settle  upon,  and  there  was  little  hope 
14  * 


1G2  THE    EXILES    OE    MADEIRA. 

of  living  by  their  toils  so  long  as  they  niust  become 
mere  slaves  in  the  hot  fields,  or  in  the  friendless 
houses  of  strangers. 

Like  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in  Leyden,  they  began 
to  look  toward  some  other  land  for  a  home.  Their 
cry  came  to  the  Christians  of  the  United  States, 
and  instead  of  echoing  back  a  cold,  heartless  mur- 
mur, a  voice  of  welcome  rolled  across  the  waters. 
Our  banner  of  religious  freedom  was  held  up  above 
the  waves.  Our  ''great  "West,"  with  her  grand 
prairies,  was  pictured  before  their  eyes.  Our  Chris- 
tian people  felt  their  hearts  touched  by  that  sad 
wail  from  Madeira,  which  will  ring  awfully  in  the  per- 
secutors' ears  at  the  judgment :  "  Ye  did  it  not 
unto  the  least  of  these  my  brethren  !" 

The  American  Protestant  society  sent  the  Rev. 
G.  Gonsalves  to  Trinidad,  while  Mr.  Da  Silva  was 
praying  God  that  help  might  come.  His  mission 
was  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the  exiles. 
This  "  Good  Samaritan"  society  was  intent  upon 
looking  after  the  temporal  interests  of  the  people, 
as  well  as  the  spiritual.  The  exiles  had  not  only 
been  beaten  but  cruelly  robbed,  or  they  could  have 
had  their  own  means  of  finding  happy  homes. 

Mr.  Gonsalves  had  been  born  at  Madeira.  He 
had  been  a  Romanist.  After  his  conversion  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  for  several  years  laboured 
among  the  five  thousand  or  six  thousand  Portuguese 
on  the  sea  coast  of  New  England.  It  was  refresh- 
ing to  his  own  heart  to  visit  those  once  fellow-coun- 


REV.    MR.    HEWITSON    IN   TRINIDAD.  163 

trymen,  and  feel  the  warm  glow  of  their  piety. 
What  he  saw  may  be  shown  in  one  of  their  pastor's 
letters  to  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland : 

"  More  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  commun- 
icants take  the  Lord's  supper  on  the  last  Sabbath  of 
each  month.  The  solemnity  and  reverence  with 
which  this  act  of  worship  is  performed,  touch  the 
heart  even  of  the  unbelieving.  Besides,  the  regu- 
larity with  which  the  people  attend  on  days  fixed 
for  ordinary  worship,  and  the  general  blamelessness 
of  their  lives,  exercise,  in  some  degree,  a  beneficial 
influence  on  the  character  of  those  among  whom 
we  dwell.  God,  who  has  begun  this  good  work  among 
them,  will  carry  it  on ;  but  till  this  day,  through 
many,  many  aflSictions  have  these  children  had  to 
pass.  In  the  midst  of  them  we  constantly  implore 
his  mercy ;  and  sure  we  are  that  he  will  hear  us. 
The  suff'erings  in  which  this  church  is  at  present  in-^ 
volved  arise  from  the  decaying  state  of  this  island. 
With  difficulty  do  the  people  at  all  find  labour  so  as 
to  be  able  to  support  themselves  and  their  families, 
and  to  pay  the  rent  of  their  houses,  which  are  al- 
ways exceedingly  high.  In  circumstances  of  ex- 
treme necessity,  those  of  them  who  sicken,  die  as 
much  in  consequence  of  want  as  from  the  severity 
of  their  disease.  Their  little  children  are  almost 
naked,  and  have  only  rags  to  sleep  on.  Such  of 
them  as  are  of  age  to  be  sent  to  school,  are,  as  a 
matter  of  sheer  necessity,  put  to  service  for  food 
and   clothing.     And   what   is  it  that  they  learn? 


164  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

Everything  that  is  opposite  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel;  and  consequently  the  children,  who  should 
grow  up  to  take  the  place  of  their  believing  parents 
in  love  to  the  Lord,  are  like  seed-corn  that  is  com- 
pletely lost." 

Mr.  Gonsalves  returned  bringing  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Da  Silva,  in  which  he  says  :  "I  do  not  see 
here  the  prospect  of  keeping  this  people  in  the  midst 
of  the  present  distress,  as  their  labours  are  not  paid 
as  they  should  be ;  for  in  this  sickly  climate,  when 
the  husband  and  father  is  taken  to  the  hospital,  the 
wife  and  children  are  left  destitute,  and  not  being 
able  to  pay  the  house-rent,  they  are  turned  into  the 
street,  to  beg  from  door  to  door.  This  state  of 
things  led  me  to  solicit  of  the  governor  of  this  island, 
Lord  Harris,  a  portion  of  land  to  be  divided  amongst 
the  Portuguese,  that  they  might  on  the  same  build 
their  cabins,  provided  they  could  receive  some  aid 
in  advance,  to  be  paid  by  them  in  the  course  of 
time.  But  although  the  governor  is  friendly  to  us, 
yet  in  his  official  capacity  he  said  he  could  not  com- 
ply with  our  request.  I  have  also  written  on  this 
subject  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hewitson,  of  Scotland,  who 
answered  that  we  should  find  it  difficult  to  obtain 
lands  for  families  in  these  islands.  And  finally  in 
the  midst  of  these  efforts,  the  bank  of  the  West  Indies 
failed,  and  sugars  came  down  in  price,  and  business 
was  prostrated  to  tbe  ruin  of  many  households. 
Government  works  were  stopped,  and  labourers  can 
find  little  or  nothing  to  do.     And  worse  than   all, 


REV.    MR.    HEWITSON   IN    TRINIDAD.  165 

our  children  whose  morals  should  be  preserved  at 
every  expense,  are  mixed  with  a  low,  profane, 
wretched  Roman  catholic  population. 

*'  I  do  not  ask  for  money,  but  for  lands.  I  ask 
what  God  has  given  to  man,  that  he  might  earn  his 
bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  Our  people  are 
mechanics  and  farmers,  virtuous  and  industrious ; 
they  will  soon  thrive  with  the  blessing  of  God  and 
the  labour  of  their  hands.  They  will  soon  rejoice  in 
abundance,  for  they  hate  vice  and  love  virtue." 

Some  of  the  exiles  wished  to  go  with  Mr.  Gon- 
salves,  but  their  pastor  persuade^  them  to  wait 
until  they  could  remove  as  a  band  of  pilgrims. 
Little  did  he  then  think  how  soon  he  would  depart 
for  America  to  seek  health,  reach  the  shore,  and  die 
in  the  arms  of  those  who  were  calling  his  people  to 
a  land  of  liberty. 


166  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  SHEPHERD  DYING  ON  THE  SHORE. 

"Although  no  relatives  were  present,  yet  many  hearts  mourned  over 
him,  and  many  eyes  were  filled  with  tears  as  his  body  went  down  to 
its  last  resting-place." 

To  pass  from  luxury  into  poverty  is  often  severe 
to  health.  Perhaps  Mr.  Da  Silva  was  affected  some- 
what by  this.  But  the  separation  from  his  family  ; 
the  anxiety,  like  Paul's,  for  his  kindred  ;  the  change 
of  climate ;  the  charge  of  a  people  poor  and  in  need 
of  much  spiritual  guidance  ;  the  great  labours  of  his 
ministry — all  these  brought  on  disease  in  fearful 
form.  Toward  the  north  he  was  pointed,  and  in 
December,  1848,  he  came  to  New  York.  He  was 
not  only  on  our  coast,  but  on  the  shore  of  another 
world. 

Sad  were  the  partings  at  Trinidad.  But  those 
who  had  risen  to  their  feet  and  held  up  both  hands 
in  receiving  him  as  pastor,  now  felt  that  it  was  a 
"needs  be."  They  crowded  the  wharf  when  he 
sailed.  Many  risked  their  lives  by  entering  small 
boats  and  dashing  through  rough  waves  to  the  vessel 
lying  at  anchor,  that  they  might  see  his  face  once  more, 


THE    SilEPHERD    DYING    ON    THE    SHORE.         1G7 

and  hear  some  words  from  that  man  whose  heart  was 
in  heaven.  Their  enthusiasm  was  not  yet  lost. 
Alas  I  this  was  their  last  vision  of  his  face  on 
earth  ! 

Nor  was  health  all  that  he  sought.  Dearer  to 
him  than  life  was  the  exile  church.  He  sought  a 
home  for  his  people — a  green  pasture  for  the  flock. 
Some  of  the  Madeira  brethren  were  here  before  him, 
and  the  meeting  was  one  of  great  joy.  Wanderers, 
tossed  on  the  seas  or  struggling  over  mountain  passes, 
always  delight  to  meet  and  talk,  and  draw  pleasure 
from  the  past  endurance.  So  with  brethren,  long 
tossed  and  wearied  on  earth  ;  what  will  it  be  in 
heaven  ! 

A  candle,  after  the  blaze  is  gone,  revives  in  one 
brighter  glow,  and  then  dies.  The  life  of  this  man 
of  God  had  really  lost  its  vigour.  It  revived  for  a 
few  days,  and  then  sunk  rapidly  away.  Truly 
God's  ways  are  not  as  our  ways.  It  seemed  as  if 
he  could  not  be  spared  to  conduct  the  toilsome  en- 
terprise of  giving  the  exile  church  a  home.  But  he 
was  not  so  necessary  as  Moses  or  Joshua,  or  he 
would  have  been  spared. 

There  he  lay  gasping  on  a  bed  of  death.  Every 
thought  of  home,  of  his  flock,  of  his  plans,  would 
seem  to  point  every  dart  of  pain.  Once  rich,  now 
an  object  of  charity  !  Once  dear  to  wife  and  child, 
but  now  cast  out  as  evil !  Once  thinking  of  a  splendid 
monument,  but  now  an  exile  grave  !  Was  he  cast 
down  ?     Oh  these  were  nothing  to  his  soul.     For  he 


168  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

knew  all  tliis  well  counted  cost.  Once  he  was  blind, 
now  he  sees  !  Once  he  was  lost,  now  he  is  found  ! 
Here  is  comfort.  He  has  little  anxiety  for  him- 
self, for  his  name,  or  his  body.  His  mind  turns  in 
imploring  pity  toward  his  family  and  flock,  as  he 
commits  them  to  the  merciful  Lord.  The  man  of 
strong  vigorous  mind  speaks  like  a  little  child. 

A  gentleman  from  Illinois  was  daily  with  him. 
Da  Silva  had  asked  about  the  land,  to  his  imagina- 
tion so  goodly.  He  said  he  wanted  to  go  and  see 
all  the  land  that  he  might  find  a  good  home  for  his 
people.  This  he  often  repeated  :  ''  You  can  do  my 
people  good.  I  must  go  with  you.  They  must 
have  a  place  and  go  to  it,  or  they  will  all  be 
scattered." 

"  Oh  !  I  want  to  know  more  with  you.  You 
teach  me  to  speak  English  ;"  he  would  say  when 
others  spoke  of  the  things  reserved  for  those  who 
love  God. 

"Better?"  asked  this  daily  attendant  one  morn- 
ing. "  No,  it  is  not  better."  He  turned  away  his 
head  and  wept.  Hezekiah  perhaps  did  not  feel 
more  intense  loncring;  to  live,  than  he  did  at  that 
moment,  for  he  "  remembered  Zion."  Soon  re- 
covering his  submission  he  said,  "  God  is  good, 
but  I  fear  I  not  go  with  you  to  see  my  people  set- 
tled." 

The  all-absorbing  topic,  of  an  earthly  kind,  was 
the  good  of  his  people.  When  hopes  of  life  revived, 
he  praised  God  that  there  was  some  prospect  of 


THE    SHEPHERD    DYING    ON    THE   SHORE.        1G9 

his  living  long  enough  to  see  them  in  a  new  home. 
"Are  you  yet  alive  ?"  his  friend  asked,  after  the 
patient  had  been  some  time  unconscious. 

"  Yes,  but  very  sick,  pain,  swelled."  Then  he 
■wept  in  view  of  the  goodness  of  God  in  bringing 
reason  back  again. 

On  the  last  day  of  1848,  when  he  was  fast  sink- 
ing, Mr.  Kingsbury  said  :  "  It  is  Sabbath,  clear  sky, 
and  the  sun  bright; — is  God  good?"  "Yes,"  he 
replied.  ^' Is  Christ  precious  ?"  "Y^es."  "I  fear," 
said  Mr.  Kingsbury,  "you  will  not  live  long." 
"  No,"  he  answered,  *'  but  yet  I  want  to  go  with  my 
people." 

On  the  1st  of  January  he  was  weak,  restless,  and 
in  severe  pain.  Mr.  Kingsbury  remarked  :  "  Christ 
alone  can  help  and  cure  you."  "Yes,"  said  he, 
"  but  my  people  will  be  alone.  God  is  good.  Every 
thing  seemed  to  go  wrong  since  I  came  to  America  ; 
— hindered  here,  could  not  go  west  and  get  homes. 
No,  but  God  will  take  care  of  the  Portuguese." 

To  ]Mr.  Kingsbury  he  said  :  "  You  are  my  friend  ; 
I  love  you  very  much."  When  told  that  we  were 
all  his  friends,  but  God  was  better  than  them  all, 
and  he  must  love  iiim  ;  he  quickly  replied  :  "  Y^es, 
yes,  I  love  him,  I  love  you." 

He  was  sensitively  grateful  for  every  little  kind- 
ness. It  was  hard  to  be  dependent  on  strangers. 
He  was  told  that  Christ  was  thus  showing  that 
"  every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or  bretliren, 
or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children, 
15 


170  THE   EXILES   OF   MADEIRA. 

or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake,  shall  receive  an  hun- 
dred fold,  and  shall  inherit  life  everlasting."  He 
replied,  "  Oh,  yes,  good  friends,  Christ  is  better 
than  all." 

*'Pain!  sick!  very  sick!"  he  would  say  with 
great  effort ;  and  when  told  that  Jordan's  flood  was 
dark,  deep,  and  rapid,  but  Christ  had  passed  it 
safely,  he  would  say,  "  Yes,  yes !  Though  dark  on 
this  side,  the  other  is  cheerful.    Yes  !  yes  !" 

In  his  last  audible  prayer  he  said : 

"  0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  thou  hast  been  very 
gracious  to  us  poor  Portuguese,  who  were  in  great 
darkness  in  the  island  of  Madeira.  Of  thy  infinite 
mercy  thou  hast  given  us  the  hope  of  eternal  life 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

''  0  Lord,  look  in  mercy  upon  thy  servant  who 
is  afflicted.  But  especially  look  in  mercy  upon  thy 
redeemed  people  in  Trinidad.  0  Lord,  thou  know- 
est  that  thy  servant  has  done  what  he  could  for  thy 
people,  and  now  is  ready  to  give  up  even  the  last 
drop  of  his  blood  for  them,  even  as  thou,  blessed 
Lord  Jesus,  didst  give  thine  for  us  poor  miserable 
sinners  !     0  Lord,  forgive  my  sins — give  patience. 

"  0  Lord,  I  pray  thee  for  my  dear  wife  and 
daughter.  0  Lord,  may  they  forsake  the  world 
and  give  thee  their  hearts,  and  remember  the  advice 
I  have  given  them. 

"  I  am  weak,  but  thou  art  mighty.  Let  not,  0 
Lord,  thy  persecuted  flock   become  scattered,  but 


THE    SHEPHERD    DYING    ON   THE    SHORE.         171 

establish  them  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel  and  unity 
of  thy  Holy  Spirit. 

"  0  Lord,  bless  all  good  Christians  in  America ; 
reward  them  for  their  kindness  to  us.  These  favours 
I  ask,  in  great  weakness  of  body,  through  my  blessed 
Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.     Amen." 

Just  before  he  died,  he  asked  Mr.  Gonsalves  to 
write  to  his  wife  and  daughter.  "  What  shall  I 
write?"  "Tell  them  to  remember  what  I  have 
written  in  every  letter."  Yes,  he  had  always  been 
earnest  for  them.  There  was  no  return  to  the  Ro- 
man catholic  church. 

One  of  the  last  questions  proposed  to  him — "  Is 
God  good  to  you?" — was  answered:  "Yes,  he  is 
good  to  me;  God  is  good  to  all  I" 

Though  he  could  nol  open  his  eyes  toward  the 
last,  yet  the  tear  of  love  to  Christ  would  roll  down 
his  thin  and  sallow  cheeks.  At  the  last  hour  his 
Portuguese  brother  knelt  down  to  pray,  along  with 
others  who  could  not  be  persuaded  to  leave  the  room 
where  their  dear  pastor  was  dying.  While  the 
prayer  was  ascending,  the  happy  redeemed  spirit 
left  for  the  heavenly  land.     He  fell  softly  asleep. 

He  died  in  faith,  January  10th,  in  the  forty-ninth 
year  of  his  age.  Scarcely  landed  from  the  waves 
of  ocean,  so  rough  at  his  embarking,  the  billows  of 
death  took  him  away,  and  they  still  murmur  his 
dying  words,  "Farewell  in  Christ  Jesus." 

At  his  funeral  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gonsalves,  mission- 
ary of  the  society,  addressed,  in  their  own  language, 


172        THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 

the  Portuguese  exiles,  who  were  present  to  mourn 
over  the  death  of  their  beloved  pastor.  At  the 
close  of  this,  all  the  Portuguese  present,  (about 
fifty,)  rose  and  sung  a  hymn  in  their  own  language. 

Every  eye  in  the  congregation  suddenly  filled 
with  tears,  as  the  notes  of  these  homeless  and  per- 
secuted disciples  fell  upon  the  ear.  The  singing 
was  so  devotional  and  hearty,  and  there  was  such  a 
sublimity  in  their  rising  when  sufi'used  with  tears, 
and  their  hearts  overflowing  with  grief,  that  no  one 
could  resist  the  subduing  influence  of  the  scene. 

The  body  of  this  first  martyr  from  Madeira  was 
then  buried  in  the  vaults  of  the  Lafayette-Place 
church,  there  to  await  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
in  the  last  day.  Beloved,  blessed  man,  thou  art 
now  at  rest ! 

It  was  a  bitter  cold  day,  but  many  were  the  wit- 
nesses. The  weeping  Portuguese  felt  like  Rachel, 
refusing  to  be  comforted. 

After  the  death  of  this  devoted  "man  of  God" 
a  friendly  letter  was  sent  to  Mrs.  Da  Silva,  at  Ma- 
deira. It  told  her  of  her  husband's  sickness,  and 
his  joyful  death,  and  reminded  her  of  his  last  mes- 
sage to  his  family.  She  replied  in  a  very  lady -like, 
but  cool,  business  letter.  Though  she  thanked 
those  who  were  kind  to  her  husband,  she  expressed 
not  a  word  of  sympathy  for  his  religion,  which  was 
his  comfort  in  death. 

To  another  letter  sent  her  some  months  after,  she 
replied  in  a  very  difl'erent  spirit.     She  referred  to 


THE  SHEPHERD  DYING  ON  THE  SHORE.    173 

her  "good  husband  whom  it  had  pleased  the  Lord 
to  take  to  himself."  Iler  gratitude  to  his  friends 
was  far  more  deep  and  hearty.  She  said  that  her 
mind  was  in  great  darkness,  and  she  could  obtain 
no  comfort  from  the  church  which  she  had  refused 
to  forsake.  She  was  reading  the  Bible,  but  needed 
some  one  to  tell  her  what  to  do  to  be  saved.  And 
this  is  all  we  know  of  her  history.  We  hope  the 
entrance  of  God's  word  and  Spirit  gave  her  light  to 
the  true  cross. 
15  » 


174        THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

AX    OUTLOOK    OYER    THE    SEA. 

0  thou  Eternal  Ruler  I 

Who  holdest  in  thine  arm 
The  tempests  of  the  ocean, 

Protect  them  from  all  harm. 

When  a  vessel  is  burning  at  sea,  it  often  occurs 
that  the  relief-ships  carry  the  passengers  in  all  di- 
rections, and  it  is  a  long  time  before  the  mother 
knows  where  her  son  was  borne,  or  an  anxious 
people  learn  who  were  saved.  It  was  thus  with  the 
scattering  of  the  Christians  of  Madeira.  It  was 
long  before  the  little  bands  could  report  their  places 
of  refuge.  Some  had  landed  in  Demarara,  others 
at  St.  Vincent,  and  others  at  St.  Kitts.  How  many 
fled  from  Madeira  cannot  be  certainly  told.  Some 
little  bands  may  have  perished,  with  no  man  left  to 
tell  the  awful  story.  Some  were  heard  of  in  British 
Guiana.  Of  others  no  news  ever  came.  Of  them 
it  could  have  been  said,  in  the  beautiful  words  of  the 
Bible,  "  They  shall  lift  up  their  voice,  they  shall 
sing  for  the  majesty  of  the  Lord,  they  shall  cry 
aloud  from  the  sea.     Wherefore  glorify  ye  the  Lord 


AN    OUTLOOK    OVER   TUE    SEA.  175 

in  the  fires,  even  the  name  of  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  in  the  isles  of  the  sea." 

The  Editor  of  the  Defensor,  a  newspaper  in  Ma- 
deira, was  threatened  with  murder  for  publishing 
the  following  facts,  in  1846.  In  the  parish  of  St. 
Antonio,  some  persons  met  quietly  on  the  Lord's 
day  evening,  in  their  own  house,  to  read  and  hear 
the  Bible.  A  band  of  armed  men  entered  the 
house  violently,  wounded  the  owner  of  it,  and  ar- 
rested the  unresisting  company  of  friends.  Re- 
member Saul  of  Tarsus.  "  He  made  havoc  of  the 
church,  entering  into  every  house,  and  haling  men 
and  women,  committed  them  to  prison." 

They  were  charged  with  resisting  the  officers  of 
justice  !  It  was  not  asked  what  they  had  done  for 
which  the  police  could  arrest  them,  nor  proved  that 
they  had  showed  any  resistance.  The  police  had 
no  right  to  go  without  the  legal,  written  order,  and 
they  could  show  none.  "We  think  that  our  homes 
are  our  strongholds,  and  that  not  even  a  King  or 
Governor  has  any  right  to  enter  by  force,  unless 
proof  is  shown  that  we  are  guilty  of  some  daring 
wroncr.  Not  so  in  Madeira.  "Where  law  ends, 
tyranny  begins." 

Any  one  could  see  that  the  police  and  their  band 
were  guilty  of  an  assault.  But  the  jury,  sitting  in  face 
of  these  arrested  Bible-readers,  would  not  see  that 
fact.  So  they  found  these  innocents  guilty  of  resist- 
ance I  Resistance  for  turning  the  other  cheek  after  one 
was  smitten  !     Madeira  is  a  beautiful  island,  but  we 


176  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIEA. 

thank  God  that  we  were  not  born  there.  No  one 
could  have  a  "vine  and  fig  tree"  of  his  own,  and 
be  safe  under  it,  if  he  had  a  Bible  in  his  hand 

"Alas  for  liberty  !"  wrote  this  editor.  "Tyr- 
anny is  like  fire."  It  gains  strength  by  running. 
The  law  that  protects  to-day,  may  be  made  to  crush 
the  protected  to-morrow. 

These  prisoners  were  condemned  to  lie  in  jail  ten 
months.  "When  the  ten  months  were  fully  ended, 
they  were  there  still,  with  no  prospect  of  release. 
Why  ?  Because  the  public  prosecutor  imagined 
that  the  sentence  was  not  sufiiciently  severe  !  "Where 
was  the  judge  whose  son-in-law  was  a  Christian  ? 

The  widowed  mother  of  two  of  the  sufferers  was 
released  without  trial.  But  while  her  children  were 
patiently  waiting  for  the  slow  law  to  release  them, 
her  dwelling  was  set  on  fire,  the  store-house  burned, 
and  she  was  obliged  to  escape  for  her  life.  In  the 
West  Indies  she  fell  a  victim  to  the  fever,  remem- 
berinor  how  her  husband  had  been  buried  in  the 
public  road  for  his  faith. 

Who  then  would  report  the  state  of  the  people  in 
1848,  if  an  editor  were  thus  threatened  with  murder 
in  1846  ?  There  were  "  the  Lord's  hidden  ones" 
on  the  island;  but  how  many  in  1848,  no  one  could 
tell.     They  were  left  to  "  glorify  God  in  the  fires." 

"  Poor  Madeira  !"  wrote  Dr.  Kalley.  "  There  are 
very  few  believers  in  it  now,  unless  they  are  con- 
cealed ;  and  who  knows  how  many  the  Lord  has 
*  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal  ?'  " 


AX    OUTLOOK    OVER    THE    SEA.  177 

The  English  residents,  for  some  time,  were  in 
danger.  Dr.  Kalley  advised  a  friend  not  to  go  there, 
and  also  said :  "  The  enemies  are  now  very  brave. 
The  priest  says  from  the  pulpit,  that,  unless  Dr. 
Miller  does  as  he  would  have  him,  he  will  be  treated 
as  Dr.  Kalley  was.  Dr.  Dexter  was  obliged  to 
leave  the  hospital.  M.  R.  was  much  persecuted. 
She  was  taken  to  the  church  to  confess  ;  but  did  not 
confess  any  thing." 

Yet  there  was  some  good  news.  Some  of  "  the 
bravest  of  the  enemies"  became  "among  the  firmest 
of  the  converts."  The  Lord  knew  where  they  were. 
One  such  man  could  say,  "  Sometimes  I  lift  up  my 
heart  to  the  Lord  in  prayer,  and  at  other  times  I 
break  forth  into  singing  praise  to  God;  and  always, 
by  this  means,  I  get  rid  of  the  evil  thoughts  that 
trouble  me,  and  have  my  heart  filled  with  joy." 
Thus  did  the  Psalmist  sinoj  in  the  nio;ht  watches. 

Mr.  Hewitson,  returning  from  Trinidad,  visited 
St.  Kitts,  preached  fourteen  times,  and  administered 
the  Lord's  supper  twice.  He  found  about  fifty 
members  there,  and  they  afterwards  became  an  hun- 
dred. He  left  an  elder  there  as  their  teacher  and 
guardian. 

Martin  Da  Songa  wrote  a  letter  telling  how  many 
exiles  on  the  island  of  St.  Kitts  wished  to  go  to  the 
United  States.  There  were  ninety-nine,  who  said 
they  wished  first  of  all  "to  follow  the  word  of  God 
and  grow  better,"  and  then  follow  the  exile  church 
to  a  new  land.     These  persons  were  not  "outlaws" 


178  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

of  Madeira  as  their  eneniies  said,  but  were  "  men 
of  good  report."     Da  Songa  wrote  : 

"  In  the  number  I  here  send,  there  are  none  that 
get  drunk  either  on  rum  or  wine,  neither  any  that 
may  be  called  slothful.  All  this  people  are  accus- 
tomed to  come  to  the  prayer-meeting  for  a  long 
time,  and  there  are  some  new  ones  who  now  attend  ; 
but  I  have  admitted  none  in  the  number  except 
those  I  knew  as  believers  before  the  reception  of 
your  letter." 

At  Essequibo,  in  British  Guiana,  were  nineteen 
of  the  exiles.  They  heard  that  their  brethren  were 
on  the  eve  of  going  to  the  United  States,  and  one  of 
them  wrote  to  their  old  friends  Da  Silva  and  Miss 
Rutherford  to  learn  the  facts.  The  letter  is  worth 
reading: 

"  But,  perhaps,  before  I  proceed,  I  had  better 
inform  you  who  and  what  lam.  I  am  then  a  planter 
and  attorney,  and  manager  of  this  estate — but  the 
Lord  has  also  used  me  in  his  vineyard,  and,  through 
me,  has  collected  together  a  church  exceeding  one 
hundred  in  number.  We  do  not  identifv  ourselves 
with  any  denomination,  but  the  only  test  required 
for  fellowship  is  an  interest  in  'the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.'  With  us  are  united  sixteen  Portuguese, 
besides  our  dear  blind  brother  Antonio,  and  his  sis- 
ters Mary  and  Jokina ;  they  at  present  are  in 
Georgetown,  Demarara.  Of  those  sixteen,  only 
five  were  received  into  the  church  at  Madeira.  Of 
these  were  Francis  Da   Silva  and  his  wife  Maria. 


AN    OUTLOOK    OVER    THK    SEA.  179 

Several  of  the  others  were  impressed  with  the  truth 
there,  while  others  knew  nothing  of  it  till  they  heard 
it  from  the  Lord's  people  here.  I  know  nothing  of 
Portuguese,  but  we  have  very  profitable  meetings 
together  notwithstanding.  I  mean,  now,  the  meet- 
ings particularly  for  the  Portuguese.  They  sing 
and  pray  in  their  own  tongue,  in  which  I  sometimes 
have  owned  fellowship,  though  it  is  but  few  words 
I  understand.  They  then  fix  on  a  chapter,  or  part 
of  a  chapter,  which  one  dear  brother  reads ;  this  dear 
brother  has  wonderfully  got  on  with  English ;  I  believe 
it  is  only  about  two  years  he  has  been  here.  His 
wife  has  been  in  this  colony  many  years  ;  she  there- 
fore also  knew  some  English  ;  and  then  there  is  an- 
other dear  interesting  young  disciple,  who  was  taught 
to  read  in  Dr.  Kalley's  school,  in  Madeira.  Her 
parents,  with  herself,  and  I  think  two  other  children, 
emigrated  to  this  country  some  five  or  six  years 
ago.  She  was  living  a  poor  lonely  orphan,  on  an 
estate  about  a  mile  from  this,  having  lost  her  parents 
and  brothers  or  sisters.  When  she  heard  of  the 
Christian  Portuguese  here,  (our  blind  brother  and 
his  sisters  were  here  at  the  time,)  she  came  to  see 
them  ;  the  Lord  soon  touched  her  heart,  and  she  is 
now,  I  trust,  growing  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  She  is  learning  to  read 
in  English,  and  can  read  the  Testament  pretty  well 
in  this  language. 

"  But,  to  return  to  our  meeting,  when  the  chapter 
is  read,  I  refer  them  to  every  text  that  I  can,  that 


180  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

I  think  will  throw  light  on  the  portion  read.  I 
then  talk  what  I  feel  led  to  say ;  this  brother  as- 
sisted by  those  two  sisters  interpreting  it  to  the  others. 
And  I  am  happy  to  say  there  is  an  inquiring  mind, 
while  the  many  questions  asked  show  me  plainly 
they  understand  what  is  said.  In  our  public  meet- 
ings, particularly  at  the  Lord's  table,  I  sometimes 
try  and  speak  to  them  a  few  words  through  this 
brother." 

Men  who  have  come  out  of  the  fires,  been  trained 
in  dungeons,  and  tried  on  the  mountains  or  in  caves 
and  dens  of  the  earth,  will  generally  be  found 
*'  steadfast,  immovable,  always  abounding  in  the 
work  of  the  Lord." 

Friends  in  England  and  America  were  active  in 
providing  a  way  for  these  exiles  to  come,  and  a 
home  for  them  when  they  should  arrive.  They 
should  not  leave  their  various  refuges  and  start 
"not  knowing  whither."  They  were  willing  to  go 
anywhere,  if  they  could  have  a  safe  home  and  a 
secure  church. 

Most  of  these  exiles  had  learned  ''  to  labour  and 
to  wait."  Da  Silva's  "  patience"  was  not  forgotten, 
nor  were  Hewitson's  lessons  of  industry.  They 
were  now  mostly  farmers  and  mechanics.  They 
wished  to  be  in  a  colony  by  themselves  in  a  new 
land. 

At  first  a  large  agricultural  company  engaged  to 
give  them  a  home  in  Illinois.  They  were  to  have 
houses,  good  wages,  and  the  comforts  of  life.     To 


AN   OUTLOOK    OVER    THE    SEA.  181 

every  family  of  the  colony  ten  acres  of  land  were  to 
be  given.  Bonds  were  given  to  make  secure  the 
contract.  The  place  was  about  half  way  between 
Springfield  and  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  The  Ameri- 
can Protestant  society  were  to  pay  for  their  immi- 
gration to  the  place. 

Appeals  were  made  to  the  Christians  of  England 
and  the  United  States  to  help  transport  the  exiles, 
who  were  in  need  of  clothing  and  daily  bread.  The 
response  was  generous.  The  Christian  people  felt 
their  hearts  touched  as  they  were  asked  to  take  an 

outlook  over  the  sea. 
16 


182  THE   EXILES   OF  MADEIKA. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

A   FAREWELL   TO   THE   ISLES. 

**  They  come,  they  come ; — thine  exiled  bands, 
Where'er  they  rest  or  roam, 
Have  heard  thy  voice  in  distant  land3> 
And  hasten  to  their  home." 

Some  of  the  exiles  were  already  in  New  York. 
Great  preparations  were  making  for  the  welcome  of 
others.  Just  then  the  first  plan  for  their  settlement 
failed.  New  schemes  must  be  devised.  Stout 
hearted  men  set  about  it  in  right  good  earnest.  In 
their  will  they  found  a  way.  A  home  was  again 
secured  in  Illinois.  Christian  friends  in  Jackson- 
ville offered  to  take  those  already  in  New  York  and 
provide  for  them.  Springfield  and  Waverly  were 
proposed  as  points  where  others  following  should 
be  settled. 

Here  was  the  "finger  of  God."  Had  the  exiles 
left  New  York  when  first  proposed,  they  would  have 
met  with  that  terrible  disease — the  cholera — then 
stealing  victims  from  the  lines  of  travel,  and  beset- 
ting men  at  almost  every  point  of  rest.  And  fur- 
ther, had  they  gone  then  to  the  place  first  selected, 


A    FAREWELL   TO    THE    ISLE.  183 

they  would  have  met  with  a  severe  disappointment, 
and  found  no  resting  place  for  their  feet.  The 
company  which  had  engaged  to  give  them  houses 
and  lands  had  failed.  The  delay  thus  caused  proved 
a  blessing.  Though  in  the  city  when  the  cholera 
raged,  no  death  was  known  to  occur  among  them. 

One  vessel  after  another  arrived,  bringing  exiles, 
until  about  five  hundred  were  in  the  city.  The 
American  Protestant  Society  had  to  find  their  daily 
bread,  and  clothe  the  needy.  Some  were  sick.  All 
were  in  a  strange  land. 

Dr.  Kalley  had  not  ceased  to  remember  these 
people,  many  of  whom  were  his  "  sons  in  the 
faith."  He  wrote  them  from  Malta  in  1849.  As 
one  band  of  exiles  after  another  came,  his  letter 
met  them  in  their  own  language.     In  it  he  says : 

"  What  are  all  the  riches  of  this  world  without 
the  love  of  God  ?  Love  is  found  in  heaven.  There 
the  blessed  rejoice  in  love.  They  have  no  money 
in  heaven.  There  they  do  not  need  money.  But 
they  could  not  be  happy  without  love.  Love  there- 
fore is  celestial ;  it  is  worth  more  than  all  the  treas- 
ures of  the  world.  Love  will  remain  when  the  fire 
of  God  shall  melt  all  earthly  goods.  Jesus  said, 
'Love  one  another  as  I  have  loved  you.'" 

He  then  warns  them  of  false  teachers.  The  les- 
son is  good  for  us  all.  *'  The  way  in  which  these 
enemies  succeed  in  destroying  souls,  is  by  raising 
doubts  in  the  minds  of  the  disciples  as  regards  the 
blessed  truths  of  the  Bible.     In  the  same  manner 


184  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

the  Devil  tempted  our  mother  Eve;  and  he  en- 
deavoured to  tempt  Jesus  in  the  same  -way.  In  this 
Tvay  the  Devil  and  his  servants  have  destroyed  mil- 
lions of  souls.  They  begin  by  saying  that  the 
word  of  God  is  a  book  full  of  mysteries,  and  very 
obscure,  very  hard  for  any  knowledge  of  true  re- 
ligion by  searching.  Then  they  recommend  the 
writings  of  the  fathers,  saying  that  they  contain  the 
truth  which  the  church  has  believed  in  all  ages. 
They  say  that  we  must  examine  the  writings  of  the 
dead  priests  to  know  the  true  meaning  or  right  in- 
terpretation of  the  Bible. 

*'  Suppose  a  number  of  men  should  go  to  work 
and  make  a  common  tallow  candle,  and,  after  light- 
ing it,  should  place  it  in  their  midst,  and  then  should 
send  out  their  preachers  to  inform  the  people  that 
without  the  light  of  their  candle  no  one  could  see 
in  the  day  time,  even  if  the  sun  should  shine  ever 
so  clear.  AYhat  should  we  think  of  such  men  ? 
Why  we  should  take  it  for  granted  that  they  had 
run  away,  by  some  means,  from  the  lunatic  asylum. 
Are  not  the  words  of  God  clear  and  plain  ?  Can 
they  not  give  assurance  to  the  immortal  soul  ?  Sup- 
pose we  should  see  a  number  of  men  digging  at  the 
bottom  of  one  of  the  huge  mountains  of  Madeira, 
and  heard  them  say  that  the  mountains  were  about 
to  tumble  down,  and  that  it  was  necessary  for  them 
to  work  very  hard  in  order  to  prevent  so  great  a 
calamity.  Therefore  one  would  bring  a  handful 
of   clay,   another  a  broken  reed,  another  a  rotten 


A    FAREWELL    TO    THE    LSLE.  185 

rail  to  hold  up  the  mountain.  What  should  we 
think  of  such  men  ?" 

Gladness  is  often  the  twin  of  sadness.  It  was  on 
the  10th  of  October,  1840.  Nearly  three  hundred 
exiles  left  New  York  on  that  day  for  their  western 
homes.  Many  eyes  were  on  the  pilgrim  band.  Among 
them  were  three  orphan  sisters,  who  had  been 
wealthy  in  their  native  vine-clad  isle.  One  of  them 
could  have  remained  in  the  city  and  taught  music, 
had  she  understood  the  lanfrua^e.  As  she  was 
playing  beautifully  one  evening,  she  was  asked 
where  she  left  her  piano.  She  said  that  she  left  it 
in  her  own  house,  with  all  she  had  in  the  world, 
and  fled  for  her  life.  On  the  deck  of  the  steamer 
stood  the  wanderers.  It  was  a  sublime  scene.  An 
eye  witness  says : 

"As  we  began  to  grasp  the  hands  of  those  pil- 
grims, with  whose  trials  and  sufferings  we  were  so 
familiar,  a  scene  of  unspeakable  tenderness  was 
presented.  Never  had  we  seen  their  tears  flow  so 
profusely.  AVe  felt  their  warm  grasp,  but  soon  we 
could  not  utter  that  last  word — farewell.  The  three 
orphan  sisters  wept  aloud,  not  because  they  have 
not  a  relative  on  earth,  but  because  they  left  those 
who  were  deeply  interested  in  their  welfare." 

One  old  lady  came  the  second  time  to  bid  fare- 
well, and  as  she  grasped  the  hand  of  a  benefactor, 
she  closed  her  eyes  and  lifted  her  silent  prayer 
to  God  that  all  human  kindnesses  might  be  re- 
warded.    One  hundre<l  others  followed  soon   after 

10* 


186  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

them.  Rev.  Mr.  Hale,  of  Springfield,  Illinois, 
vrrote  of  those  who  arrived  there  as  follows : 

"  We  are  much  occupied  these  days  in  minister- 
ing to  our  brethren,  the  Portuguese  exiles.  They 
arrived  here  just  in  time  to  enter  on  the  severe  win- 
ter weather,  which  now  they,  in  common  with  all  of 
us,  have  to  endure.  They  are  not  much  accustomed 
to  severe  cold  weather ;  and  as  our  city  was  very 
full  of  people  when  they  arrived,  it  was  well  nigh 
impossible  to  provide  them  habitations ;  to  provide 
comfortable  dwellings  was  out  of  the  question,  as 
everything  worthy  of  the  name  was  already  crowded 
full.  But  we  have  done  what,  under  the  circum- 
stances, we  could,  and  they  are  hoping  for  better  times. 
So  far  as  I  know,  they  are  contented  and  happy. 
Many  of  them  find  employment,  at  good  wages  and 
ready  pay.  They  are  highly  valued  as  labourers, 
and  will  soon  be  able  to  take  care  of  themselves 
without  the  aid  of  others.  Indeed,  the  last  thing 
to  be  looked  for  is  that  such  men  should  long  be  a 
charge  to  their  fellow  men.  If  they  maintain  their 
religious  principles  and  their  habits  of  industry, 
there  is  but  one  destiny  for  them  here,  and  that  is 
'plenty — independence.'  " 

Among  those  who  remained  we  may  find  charac- 
ters of  interest.  One  was  a  venerable  woman,  sev- 
enty-nine years  of  age.  Only  five  years  before  had 
she  heard  there  was  a  Bible  in  the  world.  She 
made  it  her  delight.  She  could  say,  "  Thy  testi- 
monies are  wonderful."     For  her  devotion  to  that 


A    FARE^NTilLL    TO    THK    ISLE.  187 

hdok,  "which  our  Lord  gave  us  to  read,  she  was  pub- 
licly beaten  bj  those  wlio  professed  to  be  the  "only 
true  church."  She  left  her  native  vineyard  with 
two  less  ribs  than  in  our  land  we  allow  every  Chris- 
tian to  have.  But  such  wounds  only  reminded  her 
of  her  Lord's  pierced  hands,  thorn-crowned  brows, 
and  bleeding  side.     She  was  happy. 

The  first  convert  under  the  labours  of  Dr.  Kalley 
was  on  our  shores,  with  her  husband  and  ajzed 
mother.  She  had  aided  Dr.  Kalley  in  defending 
his  house  in  the  days  of  fearful  riot.  She  drove 
the  nails  and  fastened  the  bars  over  the  windows. 
She  knew  something  of  curses,  blows,  and  jails. 

This  family  had  taken  a  wrong  vessel  at  St.  Yin- 
cent,  and  were  landed  in  the  cold  of  winter  on 
Nova  Scotia.  The  northern  blasts  were  too  severe 
for  the  poor  exiles  of  a  southern  isle.  The  chill 
had  wrought  disease  in  the  old  lady.  She  was  in 
consumption's  fatal  grasp.  AVhcn  in  New  York, 
she  suddenly  one  day  spoke  cheerfully,  "  I  am  go- 
ing to  my  Father,  I  am  going  to  my  Father." 

*'  Shall  we  pray  with  you?"  asked  her  friends. 

"  Yes !"  and  then  exclaimed,  "  My  Lord  is  coming, 
my  Lord  is  coming."  In  the  moment  of  the  prayer 
she  said,  "  See  the  angels !  don't  you  see  the 
angels  ?" 

In  a  moment  her  spirit  was  wafted  gently  away. 
That  view  of  the  angels!  Was  it  illusive?  May 
writer  and  reader  not  deny  it,  but  wait  till  our  ex- 
perience shall  decide.     Hebrews  xii.  14. 


188  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

A  ladj,  named  Antonia  Da  Conea,  had  once 
gone  to  Dr.  Kalley  for  medical  aid.  She  expected 
soon  to  die  by  a  fearful  disease.  God  blessed  the 
remedies  of  the  kind  physician,  and  she  recovered. 
She  had  learned  how  to  read  when  a  child,  but  had 
forgotten  it.  She  learned  again,  and  obtained  a 
boon  which  would  never  let  her  forget  how  to  read 
as:ain.  It  was  the  Bible.  She  became  one  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  devoted  Christians  in  the  church. 
She  taught  her  daughters  the  good  news,  and  they 
became  teachers  in  the  schools.  Many  of  her  friends 
and  neighbours  were  persuaded  by  her  to  love  the 
Lord  tfesus.  Her  enemies  saw  how  great  her  influ- 
ence was,  and  they  said  that  she  had  an  enchanted 
cup,  from  which  if  any  drank  they  became  "  Cal- 
vinists." 

Her  husband  came  with  her  to  attend  the  class 
which  Mr.  Hewitson  taught  before  leaving  Madei- 
ra. He  was  thus  well  qualified  to  become  an  elder 
in  the  church.  He  owned  a  good  home,  with  a 
beautiful  vineyard  about  it.  A  band  of  ruffians 
came  to  assault  their  house;  it  was  Saturday  night. 
Next  day  they  were  to  have  a  quiet  meeting  for 
Bible-reading  and  prayer.  Catching  up  a  few 
articles,  they  fled  to  the  mountains.  God's  people 
have  often  known  what  mountains  are  worth.  It 
has  been  so  from  the  days  of  Lot.  They  walked  all 
night,  and  on  Sabbath  morning  were  upon  a  summit 
to  greet  the  rising  sun.  Glad  were  they  to  see  a 
spring,  as  Hagar  was  to  see  a  well  when  her  boy 


A    FAREWELL    TO   THE    ISLES.  189 

■was  gasping  in  liis  thirst.  Here  they  hathed  their 
bleeding  feet.  Was  Jesus  ever  wounded  in  climbing 
the  mountain  sides  for  the  nightly  prayer  ?  Then 
they  sat  down  on  the  grass,  read  the  word  of  God, 
and  praised  Him  who  is  the  God  of  the  mountains  as 
well  as  of  the  valleys.  Softly  did  they  sing,  lest  even 
there  might  lurk  an  enemy.  It  was  eighteen  days 
before  they  could  reach  a  British  vessel.  They 
went  to  Trinidad  ;  there  the  elder  lost  a  limb  and  was 
more  lame  than  halting  Jacob.  At  New  York  he 
was  brought  near  to  that  shore  whence  Da  Silva 
took  his  joyful  departure  for  a  better  world  than 
this.  But  the  Lord  brought  him  farther  on  toward 
securing  a  home  for  his  survivors. 

If  anv  Howard  had  soufjlit  to  know  the  condition 
of  the  prisons  and  dungeons  of  Madeira,  he  could 
have  been  well  informed  by  those  who  knew  too  well. 
'  Even  the  Bomba  would  no  longer  have  remained  a 
mystery.  Many  had  been  there  and  could  testify. 
Mrs.  Alves  was  one  of  the  welcomed.  All  her 
surviving  children  were  with  her.  If  she  had  any 
fears  concerning  those  left  behind,  it  was,  lest  the 
enemy  might  rifle  the  very  graves. 

The  reader  will  remember  the  young  woman  who, 
on  the  fearful  night  of  Dr.  Kalley's  siege,  locked 
the  gate  and  took  away  the  key.  She  was  among 
the  escaped.  She  was  an  orphan,  without  a  living 
relative  on  the  earth.  Her  heroic  deeds  are  worth 
^  recitmg. 

'   For  several  years  she  was  an  inmate  of  the  family 


190  THE   EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

of  Dr.  Kallev.  She  became  a  teacher,  and  in  the 
stormy  year  of  1846  her  class  of  young  ladies 
numbered  thirty.  She  was  staying  with  the  Misses 
Rutherford  when  the  mob  committed  the  outrage 
upon  their  house.  She  heard  the  mob  cutting  down 
the  door  and  breaking  the  windows.  In  a  small 
room  up  stairs  she  sought  refuge.  The  rioters 
rushed  into  the  house.  The  soldiers  came  into  her 
room  and  ordered  her  to  confess  and  return  to  the 
Roman  catholic  church.  She  replied  that  she  was 
daily  in  the  habit  of  confession,  but  she  confessed  to 
God  and  not  to  man.  To  their  threats  she  made 
the  same  reply.  "  AVere  you  not  afraid  at  that 
hour?"  a  friend  afterwards  asked.  "  I  believed  that 
my  Father  would  take  care  of  me."  The  mob  left 
the  room,  locked  the  door,  leaving  her  in  it,  and 
took  the  key.  They  then  seized  some  of  the  Bible- 
readers  and  committed  the  awful  deeds  of  "  outrage 
and  intended  murder." 

Again  was  this  young  lady  called  to  the  trial  of 
her  CQuracre  and  faith.  She  was  brought  before  the 
governor  of  the  island.  In  a  large  parlour  she 
must  face  the  crowd  of  official  dignitaries.  A  book 
was  brought  to  her  on  which  was  the  sign  of  the 
cross.  She  was  requested  to  put  her  hand  upon  it, 
and  take  oath  that  she  would  never  leave  the  Romish 
church.  She  refused  with  all  the  "boldness  of 
Peter  and  John."  "But  you  will  surely  put  your 
hand  on  the  book  !"  said  the  governor.  "  No  ! 
never  I    The  Saviour  says — Swear  not  at  all ;  neither 


A    FAREWELL   TO    THE    ISLES.  191 

by  heaven  nor  by  earth,  neither  by  Jerusalem,  nor 
by  thy  head  ;  it  cannot  be  right  therefore  to  swear 
by  the  sign  of  the  cross." 

"  Do  you  think,  young  woman,"  replied  the  gov- 
ernor, "  to  teach  us  the  Bible  ?  I  know  much  more 
about  it  than  you  do."  A  statement  very  doubtful ! 
She  was  permitted  to  leave  the  room  with  no  further 
trouble  at  the  time. 

Two  other  family  histories  are  reserved  for  the 
next  chapter,  and  we  close  this  by  appending  a  paper 
signed  by  fifty-eight  persons.  It  refutes  any  charge 
that  these  exiles  were  "  wretched  outlaws,"  not  fit 
to  live  in  Madeira.  It  had  been  stated  in  a  public 
paper  that  some  of  the  refugees,  after  having  their 
way  paid  to  New  York,  sought  a  Romish  priest, 
made  confession,  and  returned  to  the  church  that 
had  robbed  and  driven  them  away.  This  may 
do  only  for  those  who  have  nothing  to  say  but 
slander. 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  are  all  natives  of  ^ladeira  : 
we  were  all  born  and  educated  in  the  Roman  catholic 
church  :  we  have  always  been  in  the  habit  of  attend- 
ing mass,  confession,  and  the  various  ceremonies, 
feasts,  and  fasts  of  that  church.  We  knew  of  no 
other  way  of  worship,  because  we  had  never  seen 
nor  read  the  word  of  God.  We  did  not  know  there 
was  such  a  book  as  the  Bible,  in  which  was  found 
the  history  of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  the  apostles,  until 
Dr.  Kalley  began  to  circulate  it  in  Madeira.  In 
reading  the  Bibles  we  received  from  him,  we  learned, 


192  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

for  the  first  time,  that  we  must  be  saved  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  and  not  by  penance,  and  mass,  and  purga- 
tory. We  found  that  the  Virgin  and  saints  are  not 
mediators,  for  there  is  only  one  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  that  is,  Christ  Jesus.  When  we 
began  to  rejoice  in  Jesus  as  our  only  Mediator,  and 
to  read  the  Bible  with  joy,  then  we  were  forbidden, 
by  the  priests  and  the  government,  to  read  it.  The 
priests  began  to  take  our  Bibles,  and  to  burn  them. 
Many  of  the  Bible-readers  were  thrown  into  prison. 
Some  of  us  have  been  in  prison  about  two  years, 
and  others  three  years.  We  have  been  driven 
from  our  houses  and  our  country — have  wandered 
in  the  mountains,  and  slept  in  caves — because  we 
read  the  word  of  God,  and  desired  to  live  accord- 
ing to  its  precepts,  and  for  no  other  reason.  We 
were  compelled,  by  the  priest  and  the  government 
in  Madeira,  to  flee  away,  and  leave  all  our  goods, 
and  houses,  and  lands  ;  and  on  this  account  we  are 
now  destitute  in  a  strange  country.  To  the  truth 
of  all  these  things  we  are  prepared  to  testify  before 
all  the  world."  {Signed.) 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  193 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS. 

On  a  warm  day  in  August,  1841,  three  young 
men  were  on  the  way  to  attend  the  feast  of  the 
*' celebrated  Virgin  of  the  Mountain."  The  fame 
of  Dr.  Kalley  had  reached  their  ears.  Out  of  mere 
curiosity  they  called  to  see  him.  They  were  polite, 
and  saluted  the  doctor  with  all  respect.  One  of 
them,  N.  Vieira,  told  him  that  he  wished  to  buy  a 
Testament  for  his  friend  Henry. 

*'  Who  will  teach  Henry  to  read  the  good  book?" 
asked  Dr.  Kalley. 

^'I  will,"  N.  Vieira  replied. 

"Can  you  read?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  have  read  the  catechism  for  six  years 
past  in  a  school." 

"Do  you  believe  there  is  a  God?" 

"Yes,  sir.     I  do  believe  in  God." 

"Give  me  some  sure  proof  of  his  existence." 

"He  made  the  ocean  and  the  fire." 

"Do  you  believe  you  are  a  sinner?" 

"Yes,  sir.    We  arc  all  sinners." 

"How  do  you  expect  to  be  saved?" 
17 


194  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

*^'Bj  my  good  works." 

"  Good  works  I  What  good  works  have  you  done 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  God's  law  against  your 
sins?" 

"  If  I  clothe  and  feed  the  poor,  these  good  works 
will  take  me  to  heaven,  after  passing  through  the 
purifying  fires  of  purgatory." 

"My  friend,  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save 
you.  He  has  given  his  life  for  you  :  now  believe  in 
Christ,  read  his  words  of  advice,  which  are  found  in 
the  Bible.  Read  in  the  sacred  book  the  kind  invi- 
tations  of  his  gospel." 

"  Sacred  Bible !  I  do  not  know  such  a  book.  I 
never  saw  one." 

"Here  is  one.  I  will  make  you  a  present  of  this 
holy  book,  if  you  promise  to  read  it  every  day  to 
your  family,  after  the  labours  of  the  day.  "When 
you  find  any  passage  you  cannot  comprehend,  write 
down  all  the  points,  and  when  you  come  to  the  city 
bring  them  to  me.     I  shall  always  be  happy  to  see 

you." 

These  young  men  took  the  good  book  and  went 
home.  N.  Yieira  gathered  his  mother,  and  two 
brothers  and  two  sisters  in  a  family  circle,  and  com- 
menced reading  God's  word.  He  began  with  the 
creation  of  the  world,  and  continued  to  read  about 
the  wonderful  works  of  God,  until  their  interest  was 
so  great  that  they  could  not  keep  it  to  themselves  : 
so  they  spoke  to  their  neighbours  and  friends,  from 
house  to  house,  of  this  new  and  wonderful  book, 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  195 

A  few  months  passed.  The  new  Bible-reader 
came  again  to  Dr.  Kallej,  and  told  him  these  good 
tidings.  The  "  man  of  God"  was  exceedingly  glad 
to  hear  him  speak  of  how  he  had  found  the  Saviour 
to  be  his  Redeemer,  and  how  his  mother  and  sisters 
were  weeping  over  their  sins.  He  invited  N.  Vieira 
to  come  and  live  with  him,  visit  his  schools  in  various 
parts  of  the  island,  and  speak  to  teachers  and 
scholars  of  the  love  of  Christ.  The  invitation  was 
laid  before  the  family,  and  though  they  needed  him 
on  the  farm,  yet  they  felt  that  he  could  do  more 
good  in  the  way  proposed.  He  gladly  entered  upon 
the  new  work. 

He  was  first  requested  to  read  the  Bible, in  the 
hospital  to  the  sick  every  morning.  This  he  did, 
and  was  blessed  in  the  service.  In  the  hot  season 
Dr.  Kalley  hired  a  house  in  the  mountain  district 
of  St.  Antonio  Da  Serra,  near  where  the  Vieiras 
lived.  In  their  own  house  he  established  a  school, 
and  Henry  was  appointed  the  teacher.  Many 
neighbours  came  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

One  Sabbath  in  1843,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Weed  of  the 
Scotch  church  was  just  about  to  administer  the 
Lord's  Supper.  N.  Vieira  and  a  friend  requested 
permission  to  receive  the  holy  Communion.  Dr. 
Kalley  tried  to  dissuade  them  at  first,  lest  it  might 
be  a  rash  act  on  their  part.  But  they  felt  con- 
strained by  the  love  of  Christ,  and  had  no  fear  of 
the  rage  of  man.  They  were  ready  to  die  if  need 
be.     Their  greatest  anxiety  was  that  this  "  father 


196  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

in  Christ"  might  not  suffer  on  their  account.  They 
"were  examined,  admitted,  and  seated  at  the  Lord's 
table. 

Four  days  after  this  N.  Yieira  was  arrested, 
brought  before  the  Magistrates,  and  charged  with 
bavins:  forsaken  the  relio-ion  of  his  fathers  and  of 
the  government.  Now  was  a  time  to  try  him, 
whether  he  would  obey  God  rather  than  men.  He 
replied  to  the  charge  that  he  had  never  received  re- 
ligion from  his  earthly  parents:  that  he  now  en- 
joyed the  love  of  God  in  his  heart:  that  this  re- 
ligion came  from  the  Bible  which  God  gave  to  bis 
people  to  read:  and  that  he  was  but  a  follower  of 
Christ  the  Lord.  As  to  purgatory,  it  was  not  in 
the  Bible.  "The  mere  forms  of  religion,"  said  be, 
"  have  never  quenched  any  thirst,  but  now  I  have 
found  a  pure  fountain  in  God's  word  which  satisfies 
my  soul." 

"Do  you  believe  in  the  crucifix,  that  we  should 
worship  the  image  on  the  cross?"  asked  the  judge. 

"  Nay.  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship 
bim  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 

"  Very  well ;  go  in  peace." 

Were  they  to  go  in  peace  ?  A  secretary  of  the 
government  was  there,  who  wrote  down  all  the  an- 
swers. They  should  hear  from  them  again.  Such 
young  men  of  promise  must  be  checked  in  their 
labours  of  love. 

On  the  next  Sabbath  their  names  were  read  aloud 
by  the  parish  priests  in  all  the   churches,  and  their 


TWO   HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  197 

excommunication  pronounced.  People  were  foi]>id- 
den  to  allow  them  to  enter  their  houses,  trade  with 
them,  or  even  give  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  them.  * 

Terror  could  not  be  struck  into  the  minds  of 
other  Bible-readers  in  this  way.  They  saw  that 
somebody  was  wrong.  The  ignorant  part  of  the 
people  were  afraid  of  the  Jesuits,  for  they  imagined 
that  the  Jesuits  had  all  power  at  command.  But 
those  who  could  read  the  Bible,  read  all  the  more, 
in  order  to  learn  who  was  in  the  right.  These  per- 
sons thought  well  of  the  converts,  and  applauded 
their  firmness.  Nowhere  is  firmness  of  any  account 
unless  it  be  on  the  side  of  right.  Thus  more  and 
more  Bibles  were  in  demand.  The  searching  for 
the  "hid  treasure"  was  earnest  and  intense.  These 
enemies  did  not  understand  human  nature,  or  they 
"would  not  have  made  these  humble  young  men  such 
objects  of  curiosity  and  inquiry.  Take  a  book  from 
a  man  by  force,  and  you  make  everybody  else  want 
to  see  what  that  book  is.  Thus  many  were  led  to 
ask  for  the  Bible;  and  who  could  give  it  to  them? 

The  priests  and  the  ofiicers  of  government  were 
not  satisfied  with  this.  They  imagined  that  by 
punishing  these  two  young  men  very  severely,  others 
•would  be  afraid  to  forsake  the  Romish  church.  So 
they  one  day  met  to  lay  their  plans.  They  were  so 
angry  that  they  talked  louder  than  they  intended. 
Remember  the  enemies  of  Paul,  wlio  banded  to- 
gether and  took  an  oath  not  to  eat  or  drink  until  they 

*  See  Appendix,  for  the  poiupoufl  sentence. 
17  • 


198  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

had  killed  him.  They  talked  too  loud  about  their 
mad  design.  Paul's  sister's  son  overheard  the 
plans,  and  went  into  the  castle  where  his  uncle  was, 
and  told  him  that  certain  men  had  sworn  that  if  he 
ever  came  near  them  they  would  kill  him. 

There  was  a  young  woman,  a  convert,  named 
Ursula,  who  overheard  some  conversation  about  ar- 
resting and  imprisoning  these  two  young  Christians. 
She  hastened  to  Dr.  Kalley's  house  and  told  him 
that  his  young  brethren,  then  in  his  house,  were 
threatened  with  death.  Ursula  had  scarcely  finished 
her  almost  breathless  story  when  the  loud  rap  of 
the  police  was  heard  at  the  doctor's  gates.  The 
hunters  had  surrounded  the  innocent  prey  and 
thought  their  hands  would  soon  be  laid  upon  them. 
Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost.  Escape  from  the 
house  was  impossible.  The  doctor  knew  there  was 
a  niche  in  the  wall  behind  his  library  case.  So  the 
case  was  pulled  away  from  the  wall,  and  the  two 
friends  were  hid  in  the  narrow  space.  The  case 
was  then  pushed  back  and  no  eye  but  that  of  God 
could  see  them.  The  hunters  rushed  in,  searched 
the  house,  even  went  into  the  rooms  of  the  sick,  but 
could  not  find  the  men  they  wanted.  The  doctor 
did  not  say  they  were  not  there,  but  helped  them 
ransack  the  house.  The  police  went  away,  hoping 
for  better  success  some  other  time,  and  the  friends 
came  out  of  their  hiding  place  with  a  song  of  de- 
liverance in  their  hearts. 

For  six  months  these  vounf'  men  were  hidden  in 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  199 

the  houses  of  their  friends.  There  came  a  decree 
from  the  court  of  Lisbon  that  no  one  shouhl  be  mo- 
lested or  persecuted  for  religious  opinions.  The  court 
said  that  men  might  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  conscience.  The  spider  makes  a  beauti- 
ful web  to  catch  his  prey  ;  so  the  Romanists  made 
a  beautiful  law,  but  it  was  only  a  trap  to  catch  the 
innocent.  And  many  were  caught.  No  convert  to 
Christianity  could  have  his  own  religious  opinions. 

N.  Vieira  returned  home  to  gladden  his  mother's 
heart,  and  to  exchange  places  with  Henry.  The 
Bible-class  was  entrusted  to  Henry.  The  flourish- 
ing school  in  Da  Serra  had  N.  Vieira  at  its  head. 
But  there  was  no  library  case  to  hide  him  nor  any 
law  from  Lisbon  which  would  protect  him.  The 
haters  had  their  cruel  way. 

The  priests  and  the  police  soon  saw  that  this  family 
paid  no  regard  to  the  confessional,  (they  went  to  the 
Protestant  confessional — the  Mercy-seat),  and  did 
not  obey  the  priests  of  their  parish,  nor  care  for  the 
Pope,  nor  bow  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  nor  have  any 
idols  in  their  house.  It  was  resolved  to  put  an  end 
to  this  matter.  Two  officers  with  eighteen  men 
came  by  night  to  arrest  the  teacher.  He  was  roused 
from  his  sleep  at  midnight,  and  fled  to  the  friendly 
shelter  of  the  mountains.  Two  hundred  soldiers 
were  sent  by  the  government  to  arrest  him.  For 
more  than  a  month  they  hunted  him,  but  could  not 
find  him.  He  was  one  of  '•"  God's  hidden  ones." 
All  this  time  he  found  no  roof  under  which  he  could 


200  THE   EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

sleep.  The  caves  were  his  refuge,  the  earth  his  bed. 
David  in  his  exile  was  not  more  homeless.  Yet 
David  could  sing  and  make  Psalms  even  there.  He 
could  look  up  and  see  the  hart  bounding  on  Bether's 
hills  and  say,  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water 
brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  0  God."  So 
with  our  heroic  young  sufferer.  Though  without  a 
change  of  raiment  and  almost  starved,  he  could  re- 
joice in  the  Lord  Jesus. 

While  thus  wandering  on  the  mountains  he  one 
day  came  in  sight  of  the  large  mansion  where  his 
mother  lived.  It  was  about  five  miles  from  the  ca- 
pital. There  he  had  played  in  his  boyhood,  and 
in  the  vineyard  he  had  toiled  through  many  a  weary 
day.  It  was  the  old  home.  He  probably  intended 
in  some  way  to  gain  admittance  there,  and  relieve 
the  mother  who  perhaps  was  weeping  for  her  son. 
But  what  fearful  view  broke  on  his  vision  ?  He  saw 
the  soldiers  coming  down  like  a  wolf  on  the  fold. 
Never  did  a  dove  look  down  with  keener  pain  of 
heart  on  her  nest  just  when  the  eagle's  claws  were 
going  to  rifle  it,  than  he  did  from  the  mountain  top. 

The  soldiers  arrested  his  mother,  his  sister  and 
her  husband,  and  also  a  woman  living  in  the  house- 
hold. One  of  his  brothers,  in  delicate  health,  was 
compelled  to  eat  disgusting  food,  with  the  threat  of 
a  severe  beating.  When  they  had  secured  their 
victims,  they  took  the  furniture  and  tore  the  clothes 
and  bedding  to  pieces.  Where  was  the  husband  of 
this  aged  woman  at  this  hour  ?     Though  a  Bomanist, 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  201 

one  can  hardly  imagine  how  he  could  permit  a  scene 
like  this  in  his  own  house,  and  "with  his  own  family. 
They  led  their  captives  away,  goading  the  age<l 
mother  with  a  stick  pointed  with  sharp  iron.  A 
bayonet  would  have  been  more  refined.  She  was 
too  feeble  to  march  as  rapidly  as  they  wished. 
They  insulted  her  by  saying  sumetliing  like  this : 
**  Go  along,  you  old  Protestant  fool." 

Her  son  could  see  much  of  these  cruelties,  as  he 
stood  gazing.  His  soul  almost  sunk  within  him. 
What  to  do  he  knew  not.  "What  would  be  the  fate 
of  his  family  he  dared  not  imagine.  To  rush  to  his 
mother  would  not  comfort  her,  for  she  could  not  feel 
any  happier  herself  by  having  her  son  as  a  fellow- 
sufferer.  His  couraf^e  and  faith  were  almost  failing. 
Then  he  thought  of  his  Bible.  Into  his  troubled 
mind  came  the  words,  "  Who  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ  ?"  His  mind  rose  with 
Paul's  in  saying,  "  I  am  persuaded  that  neither 
death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be 
able  to  separate  me  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  He  was  comforted. 
Famine  might  come,  peril  might  hang  about  his  path, 
persecution  might  take  his  life ;  he  was  ready  to  die 
in  the  love  of  Christ. 

Elijah  found  bread  by  the  brook-side.  This 
wanderer  found  it  in  the  mountains.  No  Christian 
brought  it,  for  no  Christian  knew  his  hiding-[)lace. 


202         THE  EXILES  OF  MADEIRA. 

Only  one  human  being  knew.  This  was  a  Roman 
catholic  girl.  She  was  the  only  Romanist  known, 
by  us,  to  have  been  kind  to  the  converts.  It  was 
a  fearful  offence  to  "give  them  fire,  water,  bread, 
or  any  comfort ;  or  even  to  "  touch"  them  !  Who- 
ever did  this  was  to  be  publicly  cursed  by  all  the 
priests. 

This  young  girl  was  tender-hearted  and  pitied 
the  suffering  Christians.  She  did  not  dare  tell  any 
one  that  she  knew  where  one  poor  Bible-reader  was 
hid.  But  she  took  a  little  meal  from  the  barrel, 
and  when  her  mother  was  absent,  she  make  a  cake 
and  baked  it  in  the  ashes,  so  that  there  might  be 
nothing  to  betray  her.  No  doubt  she  made  it  as 
large  as  she  dared,  and  as  good  as  she  could.  She 
sought  a  favourable  moment,  and  ran  into  the  moun- 
tains to  give  it  to  him.  On  this  he  lived  four  days. 
It  gave  him  strength  to  wander,  and  watch  for  a 
vessel  to  take  him  away.  One  day  he  reached  the 
deck  of  a  British  vessel  and  was  safe.  He  first 
went  to  Demarara. 

Where  was  Ursula,  who  had  given  warning  to  the 
two  friends  at  Dr.  Kalley's  house  ?  She  was  too 
kind  toward  the  persecuted  to  be  safe.  The  spies 
saw  what  she  did.  Her  kindness  betrayed  her. 
She  was  called  a  "convert,"  and  so  she  became. 
She  chose  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  and 
leaving  a  once  happy  home  she  fled  for  her  life.  She 
reached  St.  Vincent,  and  there  in  a  quiet  grave  her 
body  was  laid  to  sleep  till  the  resurrection. 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  203 

The  family  ■who  had  been  taken  from  tlio  man- 
sion, when  N.  Vieira  looked  down  upon  the  outra^je, 
with  about  twenty  others,  were  put  on  board  a  Por- 
tuguese frigate,  the  largest  one  in  the  Portuguese 
navy.  They  were  told  that  they  were  all  to  be 
taken  to  Lisbon,  and  there  tried  for  heresy.  But 
they  were  deceived.  In  a  few  days  they  were  shut 
up  in  the  dungeon  at  Funchal,  where  they  were 
closely  kept  for  nearly  two  years. 

Nor  would  the  government  give  them  bread  or 
water.  They  must  die  if  no  hand  of  charity  would 
provide  relief.  Foreign  residents  sent  them  their 
daily  food.  Their  enemies  did  nothing  to  prevent 
starvation  ;  and  had  they  starved,  their  persecutors 
would  not  have  been  more  guilty. 

The  time  of  their  release  came  at  last.  The  bars 
of  their  prison  were  drawn  back  very  slowly,  and 
they  were  told  that  if  they  would  for  ever  leave  their 
native  island,  they  might  go  wherever  the  ships 
would  carry  them.  They  left  all  for  the  gospel's 
sake. 

One  day  in  these  stormy  times,  a  ship  touched  at 
Demarara.  N.  Vieira  went  to  the  wharf  to  see 
who  might  be  on  board  from  his  home.  Often  had 
he  wished  to  learn  the  fate  of  his  mother,  brothers, 
sisters,  and  friends.  To  his  utter  surprise,  they 
were  on  the  ship.  The  joy  of  such  a  re-union 
seemed  almost  to  repay  them  for  the  sorrows  they 
had  all  endured.  Earth  has  few  such  meetings. 
Heaven  will  have  many  even  more  joyful. 


204  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

They  all  remained  in  Demarara  some  months, 
■where  they  suffered  from  the  fevers  of  the  place. 
They  then  sailed  for  Trinidad.  Some  of  them  came 
afterward  to  this  country. 

The  acred  mother  remained  in  Trinidad.  She 
had  once  lived  in  a  large  mansion,  about  five  miles 
from  the  chief  citv.  Her  house  had  been  filled 
with  luxuries,  and  many  servants  came  and  went  at 
her  biddinor.  But  her  exile-home  was  far  different. 
She  lived  in  a  small  room,  ten  or  twelve  feet  square, 
glad  to  have  the  plainest  diet  for  her  daily  bread. 
She  had  left  her  husband,  a  Romanist.  Nothing 
had  he  done  for  her  while  in  prison,  nor  for  any  of 
his  children.  He  probably  is  yet  living  upon  the 
estate.  This  Christian  woman  said  that  her  little 
home  among  strangers  was  the  happiest  she  ever  had 
known,  and  the  days  of  her  exile  were  brighter 
than  all  those  past  in  the  mansion.  Christ  was  her 
riches  and  her  comforter. 

The  other  family  sketch  is  brief. 

In  the  family  of  Yasconcellas,  there  were  four 
brothers,  who  were  farmers.  One  of  them,  Joseph, 
was  about  thirty  years  old  when  the  persecutions 
began.  He  saw  how  others  were  cruelly  treated, 
and  asked  the  reason.  He  learned  that  they  were 
Bible-readers.  He  found  out  for  the  first  time  that 
there  was  a  book  called  the  word  of  God.  He  ob- 
tained one,  read  it  with  intense  delight,  and  went 
to  hear  Dr.  Kalley  preach.  Then  he  attended  the 
meetings  for  prayer   and  inquiry.     For  some  time 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  205 

he  dreaded  the  Jesuits  and  the  priests.  Many 
otliers  at  this  time  trembled  under  their  threats, 
and  their  attempts  to  excite  the  people  to  violence. 

But  as  he  read  the  words  of  Jesus  he  was  made 
bold,  for  he  said,  "  Fear  not  them  that  kill  the 
body."  With  these  words  stamped  in  memory,  he 
became  very  decided.  He  ceased  to  attend  the 
Romish  church.  With  mass,  confession,  and  saint- 
worship,  he  had  nothing  more  to  do  lie  began  the 
duties  of  a  true  Christian  life.  He  became  ''strong: 
in  the  gospel."  Without  disguise  he  met  with  the 
Protestants,  and  cared  little  if  the  police  did  see  him. 

They  lived  some  distance  away  from  the  capital. 
One  morning  before  the  sun  rose,  an  armed  police 
was  attacking  the  house.  They  chose  the  dark- 
ness ;  so  did  Judas.  With  horrid  yells  they  were 
asked  to  open  the  doors,  which  they  did.  The  four 
brothers  and  their  aged  father  were  bound  with 
thongs,  shamefully  treated,  and  hurried  away  to  a 
jail,  which,  of  course,  would  not  be  far  oflf  in  such 
a  country. 

The  mother  and  sisters  fled,  while  the  father  was 
parleying  with  the  soldiers  at  the  house.  The  old 
man  was  afterwards  released,  and  sent  back  home, 
being  told  that  he  was  too  infirm  to  be  shut  up  in 
prison,  and  as  four  of  his  sons  were  captured,  the 
police  would  be  satisfied. 

The  church  and  jail   of  the  neighbourhood  were 
near  together — very  wisely.     Into  the  jail  twenty 
persons  were  cast.     There  they  remained  three  days 
18 


206  THE    EXILES    OP   MADEIRA. 

•with  nothing  to  eat  or  drink.  They  were  then  put 
on  board  a  Portuguese  ship,  and  toki  that  they 
should  be  taken  to  Lisbon  for  their  trial.  Here, 
we  suppose,  they  met  the  Yieira  family,  and  were 
deceived  like  them,  and  lodged  in  the  prison  at 
Funchal. 

During  their  imprisonment  there  was  less  favour 
shown  to  some  prisoners  than  to  others — if  indeed 
a  milder  cruelty  can  ever  be  a  favour  !  One  of 
these  brothers,  Joseph  Da  Yasconcellas,  had  all  along 
been  the  object  of  special  malice.  He  had  been 
more  active  in  teaching  the  gospel,  and  had  the 
greater  influence.  Hence  he  was  treated  with 
severer  barbarity. 

The  mass  was  introduced  into  the  prison,  and  the 
inmates  were  required  to  express  their  adoration ;  a 
thing  unknown  there  for  generations.  A  little 
image  upon  a  cross  was  to  be  brought  in.  Joseph 
was  compelled  to  go  with  the  priests  to  bring  it. 
They  came  to  the  church,  took  it  from  the  altar, 
and  carelessly  threw  it  into  the  basket  which  Joseph 
carried.  There  it  was,  "upside  down,"  and  he  was 
blamed  severely  for  having  it  thus  carried.  He 
once  would  have  shuddered  at  such  a  thought,  and 
even  now  would  not  have  done  such  a  deed.  If  the 
priests  had  possessed  any  of  their  pretended  rever- 
ence, they  would  have  never  thus  turned  over  the  im- 
age, much  less  play  the  false  part  they  did.  If  they 
did  not  reverence  the  image,  why  ask  him  to  do  it  ? 

When  the  mass  was  celebrated,  the  prisoners  all 


TWO    HOUSEHOLD    BANDS.  207 

refused  to  witness  the  ceremony.  They  were  forced 
to  be  present.  Some  of  the  more  feeble  were  so 
cruelly  forced,  as  to  bow  against  their  will — a  bow 
obtained  by  breaking  them  down.  Joseph  stood 
strong  and  firm.  He  was  then  struck  terrible  blows, 
but  persisted  in  refusing  the  idolatry.  No  name  of 
vile  reproach  was  too  bad  for  them  to  employ  against 
him.     And  this  at  their  own  mass  !  ! 

For  refusing  to  confess  to  a  priest,  who  showed 
that  he  was  anything  but  a  "vicar  of  Christ,"  he 
was  manacled  till  his  hands  were  blood-shot,  and 
then  cast  into  the  horrid  Bomba,  where  the  wonder 
is  he  did  not  die  in  agony. 

When  two  years  had  passed  in  prison,  the  Yas- 
concellas  were  released.  They  returned  home  only 
to  be  driven  poor  and  unpitied  to  Trinidad.  There 
the  aged  parents  were  buried,  and  one  of  the  sons 
beside  them.  The  surviving  three  came  to  this 
country.  They  all  said  that  through  their  various 
trials  the  Lord  had  never  forsaken  them.  Joseph, 
if  living,  bears  still  in  his  body  the  signs  of  the 
abuse  cruelly  inflicted  upon  him  for  refusing  to  wor- 
ship the  wafer,  and  bow  to  the  image,  with  which 
Christ  is  mocked  and  put  to  shame. 


208  THE    EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

A    PASTOR    FOR    THE    FLOCK. 

Mr.  Hewitsox  was  not  one  who  would  put  his 
light  under  a  bushel.  It  was  put  on  a  candlestick 
on  ship-board  as  he  returned  from  the  West  Indies 
in  184T.  "I  never  had  a  vovacre  like  this,"  said 
the  captain.  So  all  the  company  felt.  '']S^ot  a 
Jonah  had  been  on  board,  fleeing  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  but  a  Caleb,  walking  in  the  light  of 
God's  countenance."  Daily  his  voice  was  heard 
in  prayer  and  preaching  in  the  ship.  One  sailor 
felt  the  new  kindling  of  love  in  his  soul.  ''  I  am 
not  in  want  of  a  closet  to  pray  in,"  said  this  sun- 
brown  tar;  "I  can  just  cover  my  face  with  my  hat 
here  at  the  helm,  and  I  am  as  much  alone  with  God 
as  in  a  closet." 

Hewitson  went  home,  to  be  "a  bright  and  shining 
light"  in  Scotland.  He  was  settled  in  Dirleton, 
where  he  died  in  August,  1850.  He  "turned  many 
to  righteousness."  While  failing  day  by  day  he 
could  remark  pleasantly  :  "  The  Lord  has  his  own 
way  of  dealing  with  his  servants.  He  is  pleased  to 
make  one  like  a  bowl  of  living  water,  which  shall 


A   PASTOR    FOR   THE    FLOCK.  209 

be  handed  round  to  refresh  many  souls.  And  he 
takes  the  same  bo^vl,  empties  it,  turns  it  upside 
down,  and  puts  it  on  the  shelf,  saying,  '  I  have  no 
more  need  of  thee  !'  " 

As  he  laid  him  down  to  preach  no  more,  he  was 
comforted  with  the  "tenderness  of  Christ."  "I 
have  seen  further  down  of  late  into  the  depths  of 
his  amazing  love  than  ever  I  saw  before."  Not 
without  a  tear  did  he  dictate  of  his  field  of  labour : 

"  No  more  I  reap  that  harvest  field ; 
Its  sheaves  to  others  may  it  yield  : 
My  call  to  hasten  home  is  sealed ; 
God's  will  be  done." 

There  were  many  links  to  connect  him  still  with 
the  Portuguese  exiles.  In  his  labours  and  his  sick- 
ness he  often  spoke  of  them.  And  they  remem- 
bered him.  Here  is  a  link  worthy  of  note.  Open- 
ing a  letter  from  New  York  he  read  thus : 

"  The  Portuguese  here  are  a  very  devoted  band 
of  pilgrims.  They  love  one  another.  They  search 
the  Bible  with  great  diligence.  They  enjoy  a 
blessed  prayer-meeting  morning  and  evening.  .  .  . 
Seldom  is  a  prayer  offered  at  the  throne  of  grace, 
from  any  one  of  the  flock,  that  I  do  not  hear  your 
name,  that  of  Dr.  Kalley,  and  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland.  .  .  .  Can  you,  my  dear  brother,  come  to 
Illinois  next  fall,  and  take  charge  of  this  interest- 
ing, precious  flock  ?  I  know  they  all  love  you  as 
they  love  their  own  souls." 

These  people  would  have  stood  on  their  feet  and 
18  « 


210  THE    EXILES    OF   MADEIRA. 

held  up  both  hands,  if  that  could  have  made  this 
link  of  love  a  bond  between  pastor  and  flock.  But 
he  was  not  to  come  to  our  land.  He  was  to  hold 
forth  the  word  of  life  a  little  while  and  then  die, 
leaving  those  death-bed  words  to  ring  through  the 
world,  "  I  am  better  acqainted  with  Jesus  than  with 
any  friend  I  have  on  earth." 

That  star  which  had  risen  over  the  moors  of 
Scotland,  and  hovered  a  while  over  the  isles  of  the 
sea,  ever  moving  on  to  where  Christ  was,  seemed  to 
go  down  in  the  cold  north  :  but  no  !  God  took  it 
and  set  it  in  the  firmament  of  his  glory.  It  had 
turned  many  to  righteousness,  and  was  placed  on 
high  to  shine,  a  star  for  ever  and  ever. 

Hewitson  was  a  minister  in  a  far  higher  sense 
than  even  his  childish  ambition  involved.  He  was 
also  a  king — a  king  in  glory  !  for  there  such  humble 
souls  are  "  made  kings  and  priests  unto  God." 

The  Lord  of  the  vineyard  raised  up  a  pastor  for 
the  exiles  in  their  new  western  home.  We  would 
be  happy  to  present  a  brief  account  of  his  life ; 
how  he  became  a  Bible-reader  in  Madeira ;  how  he 
left  friends  and  his  father's  house  for  the  sake  of 
Christ ;  how  he  fled  from  his  native  island,  and  how 
he  became  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  But  he  does 
not  wish  any  account  of  himself  to  be  given,  for  he 
wishes  Christ  to  have  all  the  glory,  and  all  our  at- 
tention. We  shall  therefore  only  mention  some 
facts  which  have  already  been  published. 

Mr.  Antonio  De  Mattes  was  one  of  the  converts 


A    PASTOR    FOR    THE    FLOCK.  211 

at  Madeira.  lie  fled  to  Scotland  in  1846,  whcro 
be  became  (jiialified  for  preacbing  tlie  gospel.  Ho 
was  ordained  to  come  to  tbis  country  and  take  tbo 
place  of  Mr.  Da  Silva,  as  tbc  })astor  of  tbe  scat- 
tered flock. 

He  paid  a  sbort  visit  to  his  father's  family  in 
Madeira.  He  saw  forty  of  tbe  converts  in  tbe 
cbief  city.  He  met  tbem  one  by  one,  conversed 
and  prayed  witb  tbem,  for  it  was  not  tboiigbt  pru- 
dent to  liold  public  meetings.  It  was  a  most  joyful 
and  refreshing  visit  to  these  young  disciples.  He 
remained  under  tbe  paternal  roof  until  a  notice  was 
posted  on  the  door,  that  be  must  leave  tbe  island  or 
suffer  death. 

He  then  visited  Trinidad  on  his  way  to  this  coun- 
try. There  be  found  more  than  four  hundred  ex- 
iles, many  of  whom  had  come  from  other  shores  to 
enjoy  the  protection  oflfered  tbem  by  the  British  g07-^ 
ernment.  Mr.  De  Mattos  has  been  for  several 
years  tbe  pastor  of  the  Portuguese  Presbyterian 
churches  in  Springfield  and  Jacksonville,  Illinois. 
In  a  beautiful  letter  now  before  us,  he  speaks  of 
their  prosperity,  their  trials  and  temptations.  There 
are  about  one  thousand  Portuguese  exiles  in  the  two 
places  where  he  preaches. 

The  severe  laws  in  Madeira  will  not  allow  any 
one  to  go  as  Mr.  Hewitson  went,  and  labour  among 
the  people.  Yet  there  have  been  for  several  years 
many  Bible-readers  there.      Sometimes  as  many  as 


212  THE   EXILES    OF    MADEIRA. 

one  hundred  have  been  reported.  Thej  would 
meet  together  in  little  companies,  as  qnietlj  as  pos- 
sible, for  prayer  in  the  night ;  and  often  under  the 
vines  their  low  tones  of  prayer  would  find  an  utter- 
ance which  no  enemy  could  hear,  but  which  did  not 
fail  to  reach  the  ever-listening  ear  of  Him  who  never 
slumbers. 

Those  Bibles  and  Testaments  which  the  exiles 
buried  in  the  earth,  or  plastered  in  the  walls  of 
their  houses,  were  not  hidden  in  vain.  Many  were 
afterwards  found,  and  many  no  doubt  will  yet  be 
brought  to  light.  The  good  seed  thus  buried,  will 
one  day  bring  a  good  harvest  for  the  Master. 

Our  little  volume  now  closes.  As  the  reader 
shuts  it  up,  we  hope  that  Holy  Book  which  did 
such  wonders  in  Madeira,  will  be  opened,  and  dili- 
gently read.  An  open  Bible,  a  well-read  Bible,  a 
Bible  believed  and  obeyed,  is  the  only  book  that 
can  teach  us  the  way  of  salvation.  Persecutors 
will  probably  never  dare  to  take  it  from  us.  But 
we  may  keep  it  from  ourselves.  We  may  cheat 
ourselves  of  its  great  truths.  We  may  neglect  the 
word  of  God,  and  be  ignorant  of  the  love  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

We  often  hear  thanks  rendered  to  God  that  "  we 
may  sit  under  our  own  vine  and  fig-tree,  with  none 
to  molest  or  make  us  afraid."  Truly  this  is  a 
great  privilege.  Let  us  read  the  Bible  under  the 
summer  shade,  or  by  the  winter  fire,  and  pray  to 


A    PASTOR    FOR    THK    FLOCK. 


213 


the  Lord  with  earnest  hearts,  *M)pon  thou  mine 
eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  thiutrs  out  of  thy 
law." 


Holy  Bible!   Rook  Divine  f 
Trecijus  treasure,  ihuu  art  iniiio  ! 


^  ^   J^ 


APPENDIX 


Dr.  Kalley  refers  particularly  to  the  sentence 
of  excommunication  pronounced  against  two  of  the 
converts.  To  gratify  the  interest,  or  curiosity  of 
the  reader,  we  here  spread  out  before  him,  this 
pompous  and  unjust  sentence  as  it  was  originally 
uttered : — 

**  Sebastiao  Cazemiro  Medinna  Yasconcellos,  Leader 
of  the  Choir  in  the  Cathedral,  Synedic  Examina- 
tor,  Vicar-General  of  the  Bishopric  of  Funchal,  in 
the  island  of  Madeira,  for  the  Most  Excellent  and 
Reverend  Don  Januaro  Vicente  Comacho  of  her 
Majesty's  Council,  Dean  of  the  Cathedral  of  Fun- 
chal, Commander  of  the  Order  of  Christ,  Bishop 
Elect  of  Castle  Branco,  Temporal  Governor  and 
Vicar-General  of  the  Bishop  of  Funchal,  Porto 
Santo  and  xVrguinot — 

"  To  all  the  reverend  vicars  and  curates,  assistants 
and  chaplains,  as  well  as  to  all  judges  and  justices 
of  peace,  to  the  delegates  of  the  attorney-general,  to 
the  administrators  of  councils,  and  all  officers  of 
justice,  and  to  all  ecclesiastical  and  secular  persons 
(214) 


APPENDIX.  215 

of  every  degree  and  condition  in  all  the  bishopric 
and  out  of  it,  whom  this  my  letter  may  reach,  wlio 
may  hear  it,  or  get  notice  of  it  any  way,  health 
and  peace  for  ever  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  who  is 
the  true  remedy  and  salvation  of  all.  I  make  known 
to  you,  that,  having  proceeded  to  an  examination  of 
witnesses,  as  competent  to  my  office,  it  was  proved 
by  them,  and  confirmed  by  my  sentence,  that  Fran- 
cisco Pires  Soares,  married,  and  Nicolao  Tulentino 
Vieira,  bachelor,  both  of  this  bishopric,  residing  in 
the  parish  of  Santa  Luzia,  near  the  parish  church, 
apostatized  from  the  union  and  bosom  of  the  Holy 
Mother  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  became  sec- 
taries of  the  Presbyterian  communion,  incurring 
by  this,  ecclesiastical  censure  and  canonical  punish- 
ment of  the  greater  excommunication.  The  censures 
requiring  to  be  aggravated,  I  ordered  this  present 
letter  to  be  written,  by  which  I  require  and  command, 
under  pain  of  the  greater  excommunication,  all  ec- 
clesiastics, ministers  and  officers  of  justice,  and 
others  above  mentioned,  as  soon  as  they  shall  have 
notice  of  it,  not  to  touch  or  hold  communication  with 
those  who  are  excommunicated  by  the  curse  of 
Almighty  God,  and  of  the  blessed  St.  Peter  and  St. 
Paul,  with  these  of  Gomorrah  and  of  Sodom,  Dathan 
and  Abiram,  whom  the  earth  swallowed  alive  for 
their  great  sins  and  disobedience.  Let  none  give 
them  fire,  water,  bread,  or  any  other  thing  that  may 
be  necessary  to  them  for  their  support.  Let  none 
pay  them  their   debts.     Let  none  support  iliem  in 


216  APPENDIX. 

any  case  which  they  may  bring  judicially.  Let  all 
put  them  aside  as  rotten  and  excommunicated  mem- 
bers, separated  from  the  bosom  and  union  of  the 
Holy  Mother  Catholic  Church,  and  as  rebels  and 
contumacious ;  for  if  any  do  the  contrary,  which 
God  forbid,  I  lay,  and  consider  as  laid,  upon  their 
persons,  the  penalty  of  the  greater  excommunication. 
Therefore  were  their  names  and  surnames  expressly 
declared  ;  and  that  all  may  know  this,  I  order  the 
reverend  parish  priest  to  publish  this  at  the  meeting 
on  the  first  Sabbath  or  holy  day,  and  to  affix  it  on 
the  door  of  the  church,  from  which  let  no  man  take 
or  tear  it  under  pain  of  excommunication,  until,  by 
making  satisfaction  for  all,  they  merit  the  benefit 
of  absolution. 

Given  in  Funchal,  under  the  seal  of  the  vicar- 
general  and  my  signature,  on  the  27th  of  April, 
1843.  Jacinto  Monteiro  Cabrae,  Writer  to  the  Ec- 
clesiastical Council,  wrote  this. 

Sebastiao  Cazemiro  Medinna  e  Yas. 


